H 


THAT 
MAINWARING   AFFAIR 


SIXTH  EDITION 


•I     HAVK    STAKKH    MV    HKIHKST    CARD  — 

AM)    LOST  !" 

Page  259 


THAT 

MAINWARING 
AFFAIR 

BY 

A.   MAYNARD    BARBOUR 

AUTHOR  OF   "TOLD  IN  THE  ROCKIES*' 


ILLUSTRATED  BY 

E.  PLAISTED  ABBOTT 


PHILADELPHIA    AND    LONDON 

J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT    COMPANY 

1901 


COPYRIGHT,  1900 

BY 

J.  B.  LIFPINCOTT  COMPANY 


First  Edition  off  press,  Sept.  30,  1900 

Second                '       '  Nov.  30,  1900 

Third                   '       '  Feb.    20,  1901 

Fourth                 '       '  Mar.     3,  1901 

Fifth                     '       '  May   15,  1901 

Sixth                    '       '  July      8,  1901 


•  HIA,  u.  »./< 


Unscribefc 

TO 

COLONEL  WILBUR   F.   SANDERS 

THE 

"  WAR-HORSE" 

OF 

THE    TREASURE    STATE 
BY 

THE    AUTHOR 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  —  THE  MAINWARINGS     ..............  7 

II.—  FAIR  OAKS    .................  14 

III.  —  THE  LAST  WILL  AND  TESTAMENT  OF  HUGH  MAIN- 

WARING     ..................  21 

IV.  —  A  TERRIBLE  AWAKENING  ............  30 

V.  —  IMPORTANT  DISCOVERIES     ............  42 

VI.  —  THE  INQUEST    .................  49 

VII.—  A  BATTLE  ROYAL    ...............  60 

VIII.  —  THE  WEAVING  OF  THE  WEB     ..........  74 

IX.  —  TANGLED  THREADS  ...............  86 

X.  —  BEHIND  THE  SCENES  ..............  106 

XI.  —  SKIRMISHING     .................  119 

XII.—  X-RAYS  ....................  135 

XIII.  —  THEORIES,  WISE  AND  OTHERWISE   ........  157 

XIV.  —  THE  EXIT  OF  SCOTT,  THE  SECRETARY  ......  165 

XV.  —  MUTUAL  SURPRISES     ..............  175 

XVI.  —  MUTUAL  EXPLANATIONS     ............  185 

XVII.  —  LOVE  FINDS  A  WAY    ..............  197 

XVIII.  —  AN  UNFORESEEN  FOE     .............  206 

XIX.  —  MUTUAL  RECOGNITIONS  .............  220 

XX.—  OPENING  FIRE  .................  227 

XXL—  THE  LAST  THROW  ...............  245 

XXII.  —  SECESSION  IN  THE  RANKS  ............  260 

XXIII.  —  FLOTSAM  AND  JETSAM     .............  271 

XXIV.  —  BETWEEN  THE  ACTS    ..............  283 

XXV.—  RUN  TO  COVER     ................  302 

XXVI.  —  MAINWARING  vs.  MAINWARING     .........  322 

XXVIL—  THE  SILENT  WITNESS    .               .........  34° 


ILLUSTRATIONS 
¥¥ 

PAGE 
:'I   HAVE    STAKED    MY    HIGHEST    CARD AND    LOST  !" 

Frontispiece 

"YOU   HAVE  MADE  A    BlTTER    ENEMY   IN"    MRS.    LAGRANGE," 

SHE  SAID,  ARCHLY 84 

HOBSON  SILENTLY  BECKONED  SCOTT  TO  ENTER 125 

"  EVEN  HE  HAS  TURNED  AGAINST  ME!" 146 


THAT 
MAINWARING  AFFAIR 


CHAPTER    I 

THE    MAINWARINGS 

THE  fierce  sunlight  of  a  sultry  afternoon  in  the  early 
part  of  July  forced  its  way  through  every  crevice  and 
cranny  of  the  closely  drawn  shutters  in  the  luxurious 
private  offices  of  Mainwaring  &  Co.,  Stock  Brokers,  and 
slender  shafts  of  light,  darting  here  and  there,  lent  a  rich 
glow  of  color  to  the  otherwise  subdued  tones  of  the  ele 
gant  apartments. 

A  glance  at  the  four  occupants  of  one  of  these  rooms, 
who  had  disposed  themselves  in  various  attitudes  according 
to  their  individual  inclinations,  revealed  the  fact  that  three 
out  of  the  four  were  Englishmen,  while  the  fourth  might 
have  been  denominated  as  a  typical  American  from  the 
professional  class.  Of  rather  slender  form,  with  a  face  of 
rare  sensitiveness  and  delicacy,  and  restless,  penetrating 
eyes,  his  every  movement  indicated  energy  and  alertness. 
On  the  present  occasion  he  had  little  to  say,  but  was  en 
gaged  in  listening  attentively  to  the  conversation  of  the 
others. 

Beside  a  rosewood  desk,  whose  belongings,  arranged  with 
mathematical  precision,  indicated  the  methodical  business 
habits  of  its  owner,  sat  Hugh  Mainwaring,  senior  member 

7 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

of  the  firm  of  Mainwaring  &  Co.,  a  man  approaching  his 
fiftieth  birthday.  His  dress  and  manners,  less  pronoun 
cedly  English  than  those  of  the  remaining  two,  betokened 
the  polished  man  of  the  world  as  well  as  the  shrewd  finan 
cier.  He  wore  an  elegant  business  suit  and  his  linen  was 
immaculate ;  his  hair,  dark  and  slightly  tinged  with  gray, 
was  closely  cut ;  his  smoothly  shaven  face,  less  florid  than 
those  of  nis  companions,  was  particularly  noticeable  on 
account  of  a  pair  of  dark  gray  eyes,  cold  and  calculating, 
and  which  had  at  times  a  steel -like  glitter.  Though  an 
attractive  face,  it  was  not  altogether  pleasing ;  it  was  too 
sensuous,  and  indicated  stubbornness  and  self-will  rather 
than  firmness  or  strength. 

Half  reclining  upon  a  couch  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
room,  in  an  attitude  more  comfortable  than  graceful, 
leisurely  smoking  a  fine  Havana,  was  Ralph  Mainwaring, 
of  London,  a  cousin  of  the  New  York  broker,  who,  at  the 
invitation  of  the  latter,  was  paying  his  first  visit  to  the 
great  western  metropolis.  Between  the  two  cousins  there 
were  few  points  of  resemblance.  Both  had  the  same  cold, 
calculating  gaze,  which  made  one,  subjected  to  its  scrutiny, 
feei  that  he  was  being  mentally  weighed  and  measured  and 
would,  in  all  probability,  be  found  lacking ;  but  the  Lon 
doner  possessed  a  more  phlegmatic  temperament.  A  year 
or  two  his  cousin's  junior,  he  looked  considerably  younger, 
as  his  hair  and  heavy  English  side  whiskers  were  unmixed 
with  gray  and  he  was  inclined  to  stoutness. 

Seated  near  him,  in  an  immense  arm-chair  which  he 
filled  admirably,  was  William  Mainwaring  Thornton,  of 
London,  also  a  guest  of  Hugh  Mainwaring  and  distantly 
connected  with  the  two  cousins.  He  was  the  youngest  of 
the  three  Englishmen  and  the  embodiment  of  geniality. 
He  was  a  blond  of  the  purest  type,  and  his  beard,  parted 
in  the  centre,  was  brushed  back  in  two  wavy,  silken  masses, 

8 


THE   MAINWARINGS 

while  his  clear  blue  eyes,  beaming  with  kindliness  and 
good-humor,  had  the  frankness  of  a  child's. 

Hugh  Mainwaring,  the  sole  heir  to  the  family  estate, 
soon  after  the  death  of  his  father,  some  twenty-five  years 
previous  to  this  time,  became  weary  of  the  monotony  of 
his  English  home-life,  and,  resolved  upon  making  his  per 
manent  home  in  one  of  the  large  eastern  cities  of  the 
United  States  and  embarking  upon  the  uncertain  and 
treacherous  seas  of  speculation  in  the  western  world,  had 
sold  the  estate  which  for  a  number  of  generations  had  been 
in  the  possession  of  the  Mainwarings,  and  had  come  to 
America.  In  addition  to  his  heavy  capital,  he  had  in 
vested  a  large  amount  of  keen  business  tact  and  ability ; 
his  venture  had  met  with  almost  phenomenal  success  and 
he  had  acquired  immense  wealth  besides  his  inherited 
fortune. 

His  more  conservative  cousin,  Ralph  Mainwaring,  while 
never  quite  forgiving  him  for  having  disposed  of  the  estate, 
had,  nevertheless,  with  the  shrewdness  and  foresight  for 
which  his  family  were  noted,  given  to  his  only  son  the 
name  of  Hugh  Mainwaring,  confident  that  his  American- 
English  cousin  would  never  marry,  and  hoping  thereby  to 
win  back  the  old  Mainwaring  estate  into  his  own  line  of 
the  family.  His  bit  of  strategy  had  succeeded  ;  and  now, 
after  more  than  twenty  years,  his  foresight  and  worldly 
wisdom  were  about  to  be  rewarded,  for  the  occasion  of 
this  reunion  between  the  long-separated  cousins  was  the 
celebration  of  the  rapidly  approaching  fiftieth  birthday  of 
Hugh  Mainwaring,  at  which  time  Hugh  Mainwaring,  Jr., 
would  attain  his  majority,  and  in  recognition  of  that  happy 
event  the  New  York  millionaire  broker  had  announced  his 
intention  of  making  his  will  in  favor  of  his  namesake,  and 
on  that  day  formally  declaring  him  his  lawful  heir. 

This  had  been  the  object  of  the  conference  in  the  private 
9 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

office  of  Hugh  Mainwaring,  and  now  that  it  was  over  and 
all  necessary  arrangements  had  been  made,  that  gentleman 
turned  from  his  desk  with  a  sigh  of  relief. 

"  I  am  heartily  glad  that  this  business  is  over,"  he  said, 
addressing  his  guests ;  "it  has  been  on  my  mind  for  some 
time,  and  I  have  consulted  with  Mr.  Whitney  about  it," 
with  a  slight  nod  towards  the  fourth  gentleman,  who  was 
his  attorney  and  legal  adviser.  ' '  We  have  both  felt  that 
it  should  have  been  attended  to  before  this ;  and  yet,  as  I 
considered  this  would  be  the  most  fitting  time  to  make  a 
final  adjustment  of  affairs,  I  have  on  that  account  delayed 
longer  than  I  otherwise  would  have  done.  Now  every 
thing  is  arranged  in  a  manner  satisfactory,  I  trust,  to  all 
parties  immediately  concerned,  and  nothing  remains  but 
to  draw  up  and  execute  the  papers,  which  will  be  done 
to-morrow. ' ' 

"You  are  not  then  troubled  with  any  unpleasant  super 
stitions  regarding  the  making  of  a  will  ?' '  commented  Mr. 
Thornton. 

"No,"  replied  the  other,  slowly.  "I  am  not  of  the 
opinion  that  it  will  hasten  my  exit  from  this  world ;  but 
even  if  it  did,  I  would  have  the  satisfaction  of  knowing 
that  my  own  wishes  would  be  carried  out  in  the  settlement 
of  my  estate,  and  that  no  one  would  derive  any  benefit 
from  my  demise  excepting  those  whom  I  consider  legally 
entitled  thereto." 

Ralph  Mainwaring  looked  curiously  at  his  cousin  through 
half-closed  eyes. 

"I  suppose,"  he  remarked,  very  deliberately,  "that 
even  in  case  there  were  no  will  the  property  would  revert 
to  our  branch  of  the  family ;  we  are  the  nearest  of  kin, 
you  know. ' ' 

"Yes,  I  know  your  family  would  be  considered  the 
lawful  heirs,"  Hugh  Mainwaring  replied,  while  he  and 


THE   MAINWARINGS 

Mr.  Whitney  exchanged  glances;  "but  this  is  not  Eng 
land  ;  here  any  common  adventurer  might  come  forward 
with  some  pretended  claim  against  the  estate,  and  I  prefer 
to  see  affairs  definitely  settled  in  my  own  way. ' ' 

' '  Of  course, ' '  responded  the  other,  resuming  his  cigar. 
"Well,  speaking  for  myself,  I  am  more  than  willing  to 
relinquish  any  share  I  might  have  had  for  the  boy's  sake, 
and  I  don't  suppose,  Thornton,  that  you  have  any  objec 
tions  to  raise  on  Edith's  account." 

"Oh,  no,  no,"  replied  that  gentleman,  with  a  pleasant 
laugh.  "I  never  considered  Hugh  a  bad  son-in-law  to 
begin  with,  but  I'll  admit  he  is  a  little  more  attractive 
now  than  ever." 

The  little  clock  on  the  marble  mantel  chimed  the  hour 
of  four,  causing  a  general  movement  of  surprise. 

"  'Pon  my  soul !  I  had  no  idea  it  was  that  late,"  ex 
claimed  Mr.  Thornton,  taking  out  his  watch,  while  Hugh 
Mainwaring,  touching  an  electric  button,  replied, — 

"This  business  has  detained  us  much  longer  than  I 
anticipated.  I  will  give  some  instructions  to  the  head 
clerk,  and  we  will  leave  at  once. ' ' 

He  had  scarcely  finished  speaking,  when  a  door  opened 
noiselessly  and  a  middle-aged  man  appeared. 

"Parsons,"  said  Mr.  Mainwaring,  addressing  him  in 
quick,  incisive  tones,  ' '  I  am  going  out  to  Fair  Oaks,  and 
probably  shall  not  be  at  the  office  for  two  or  three  days, 
unless  something  of  unusual  importance  should  demand 
my  presence.  Refer  all  business  callers  to  Mr.  Elliott 
or  Mr.  Chittenden.  Any  personal  calls,  if  specially  im 
portant,  just  say  that  I  can  be  found  at  Fair  Oaks. ' ' 

Parsons  bowed  gravely,  and  after  a  few  further  instruc 
tions  retired. 

"Now,  Mr.  Whitney,"  Hugh  Mainwaring  continued,  at 
the  same  time  touching  another  electric  button,  "you,  of 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

course,  will  be  one  of  our  party  at  Fair  Oaks ;  my  secre 
tary  will  accompany  us,  and  the  papers  will  be  drawn  up 
to-morrow  in  my  private  library,  after  which  you  will  do 
us  the  honor  to  join  us  in  the  pleasures  of  the  following 
day." 

"I  am  at  your  service,  Mr.  Mainwaring,"  responded 
the  attorney;  "but,"  he  added,  in  low  tones,  intended 
only  for  Hugh  Mainwaring' s  ear,  but  which  were  heard 
distinctly  by  the  private  secretary,  now  standing  beside  the 
desk,  ' '  would  it  not  be  better  to  draw  up  the  will  here,  in 
your  private  office  ?  My  presence  at  the  house  on  the 
present  occasion  might  attract  attention  and  arouse  some 
suspicions  as  to  your  intentions. ' ' 

"That  makes  no  difference,"  replied  Hugh  Mainwaring, 
quickly,  but  also  speaking  in  a  low  tone;  "my  private 
papers  are  all  at  the  house,  and  I  choose  that  this  business 
shall  be  conducted  there.  I  believe  that  I  am  master  in 
my  own  house  yet." 

Mr.  Whitney  bowed  in  acquiescence,  and  Hugh  Main- 
waring  turned  to  his  secretary, — 

"Mr.  Scott,  just  close  up  everything  in  the  office  as 
quickly  as  possible  and  get  ready  to  accompany  me  to  Fair 
Oaks ;  I  shall  need  you  there  for  two  or  three  days. ' ' 

It  was  not  the  first  time  the  private  secretary  had  accom 
panied  Mr.  Mainwaring  to  his  elegant  suburban  residence, 
and  he  understood  perfectly  what  was  expected  of  him,  and 
immediately  withdrew  to  make  his  preparations  as  expedi- 
tiously  as  possible. 

For  some  reason,  which  Hugh  Mainwaring  had  never 
stopped  to  explain  even  to  himself,  he  always  accorded  to 
his  private  secretary  much  more  respect  and  consideration 
than  to  any  one  of  his  other  numerous  employees. 

Harry  Scott  was  not  only  a  young  man  of  superior  edu 
cation  and  good  breeding,  but  what  particularly  impressed 

12 


THE    MAINWARINGS 

his  employer  in  his  favor  was  a  certain  natural  reserve  which 
caused  him  to  hold  himself  aloof  from  his  associates  in  the 
offices  of  Mainwaring  &  Co.,  and  an  innate  refinement 
and  delicacy  which  kept  him,  under  all  circumstances, 
from  any  gaucherie  on  the  one  hand,  or  undue  familiarity 
on  the  other ;  he  was  always  respectful  but  never  servile. 
He  had  been  in  the  employ  of  Hugh  Mainwaring  for  a 
little  more  than  a  year,  and,  having  frequently  accompanied 
him  to  Fair  Oaks  to  remain  for  a  day  or  two,  was,  conse 
quently,  quite  familiar  with  the  house  and  grounds. 

As  he  re-entered  the  room,  having  exchanged  his  busi 
ness  suit  for  one  more  suitable  to  the  occasion,  there  was 
not  one  present  but  what  instinctively,  though  perhaps 
unconsciously,  recognized  in  him  a  true  gentleman  and 
treated  him  as  such.  Tall,  with  a  splendid  physique, 
finely  shaped  head,  dark  hair,  and  eyes  of  peculiar  beauty, 
he  was  far  from  being  the  least  attractive  member  of  the 
party  which,  a  few  moments  later,  entered  the  Mainwaring 
carriage,  with  its  coat  of  arms,  and  rolled  away  in  the 
direction  of  Fair  Oaks. 


CHAPTER    II 

FAIR    OAKS 

THE  home  of  Hugh  Mainwaring  was  one  of  many 
palatial  suburban  residences  situated  on  a  beautiful  avenue 
running  in  a  northerly  direction  from  the  city,  but  it  had 
not  been  for  so  many  years  in  his  possession  without 
acquiring  some  of  the  characteristics  of  its  owner,  which 
gave  it  an  individuality  quite  distinct  from  its  elegant 
neighbors.  It  had  originally  belonged  to  one  of  the  oldest 
and  wealthiest  families  in  the  county,  for  a  strictly  modern 
house,  without  a  vestige  of  antiqueness  lingering  in  its  halls 
and  with  no  faint  aroma  of  bygone  days  pervading  its 
atmosphere,  would  have  been  entirely  too  plebeian  to  suit 
the  tastes  of  Hugh  Mainwaring. 

From  the  street  to  the  main  entrance  a  broad  driveway 
wound  beneath  the  interlacing  boughs  of  a  double  line  of 
giant  oaks,  from  which  the  place  had  derived  its  name. 
Beautiful  grounds  extended  in  every  direction,  and  in  the 
rear  of  the  mansion  sloped  gently  to  the  edge  of  a  small 
lake.  Facing  the  west  was  the  main  entrance  to  the  house, 
which  was  nearly  surrounded  by  a  broad  veranda,  com 
manding  a  fine  view,  not  only  of  the  grounds  and  imme 
diately  surrounding  country,  but  also  of  the  Hudson  River, 
not  far  distant. 

The  southwestern  portion  of  the  building  contained  the 
private  rooms  of  Hugh  Mainwaring,  including  what  was 
known  as  the  "tower,"  and  had  been  added  by  him  soon 
after  he  had  taken  possession  of  the  place.  This  part  of 

14 


FAIR   OAKS 

the  house  was  as  far  removed  as  possible  from  the  large 
reception-rooms,  and  the  apartments  on  the  second  floor 
comprised  the  suite  occupied  by  Mr.  Mainwaring.  The 
first  of  these  rooms,  semi -octagonal  in  form,  constituted 
his  private  library,  and  its  elegant  furnishings  and  costly 
volumes,  lining  the  walls  from  floor  to  ceiling,  bespoke  the 
wealth  and  taste  of  the  owner.  Across  the  southwestern 
side  of  this  room  heavy  portieres  partially  concealed  the 
entrance  to  what  Mr.  Mainwaring  denominated  his  "sanc 
tum  sanctorum, ' '  the  room  in  the  tower.  This  was  small, 
of  circular  form,  and  contained  an  immense  desk,  one  or 
two  revolving  bookcases,  and  a  large  safe,  which  held  his 
private  papers  and,  it  was  rumored,  the  old  Mainwaring 
jewels.  Back  of  the  library  was  a  smoking-room,  and  in 
the  rear  of  that  Mr.  Mainwaring' s  dressing-rooms  and 
sleeping  apartments. 

This  suite  of  rooms  was  connected  with  the  remainder 
of  the  building  by  a  long  corridor  extending  from  the 
main  hall,  but  there  was  on  the  south  side  of  the  house  an 
entrance  and  stairway  leading  directly  to  these  rooms,  the 
upper  hall  opening  into  the  library  and  smoking-room. 
From  this  southern  entrance  a  gravelled  walk  led  between 
lines  of  shrubbery  to  a  fine  grove,  which  extended  back 
and  downward  to  the  western  shore  of  the  small  lake 
already  mentioned. 

But  the  especially  distinguishing  characteristic  of  Fair 
Oaks  since  coming  into  the  possession  of  Hugh  Mainwaring 
was  the  general  air  of  exclusion  pervading  the  entire  place. 
The  servants,  with  the  exception  of  "Uncle  Mose,"  the 
colored  man  having  charge  of  the  grounds,  were  imported, 
— the  head  cook  being  a  Frenchman,  the  others  either  Eng 
lish  or  Irish,  and,  from  butler  to  chambermaid,  one  and  all 
seemed  to  have  acquired  the  reserve  which  characterized 
their  employer. 

15 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

Comparatively  few  servants  were  employed  and  few  were 
needed,  for  never,  until  the  present  occasion,  had  Fair 
Oaks  been  thrown  open  to  guests.  Occasionally  Mr. 
Mainwaring  brought  out  from  the  city  two  or  three  gentle 
man  friends,  whom  he  entertained  in  royal  fashion.  Some 
times  these  guests  were  accompanied  by  their  wives,  but 
such  instances  were  extremely  rare,  as  ladies  were  seldom 
seen  at  Fair  Oaks. 

In  the  entertainment  of  these  occasional  guests  Mr. 
Mainwaring  was  frequently  assisted  by  Mrs.  LaGrange, 
known  as  his  housekeeper,  but  in  reality  holding  a  position 
much  more  advanced  than  is  usually  implied  by  that  term. 
Among  those  who  had  been  personally  entertained  by  Mrs. 
LaGrange,  this  fact,  of  itself,  excited  little  comment ;  it 
being  evident  that  she  was  as  familiar  with  the  fashionable 
world  as  was  their  host  himself,  but  surrounding  her  was 
the  same  dim  haze  of  mystery  that  seemed  to  envelop  the 
entire  place,  impalpable,  but  thus  far  impenetrable. 

She  had  come  to  Fair  Oaks  some  fifteen  years  previous 
to  this  time,  dressed  in  deep  mourning,  accompanied  by 
her  infant  son,  about  three  years  of  age,  and  it  was  gener 
ally  understood  that  she  was  distantly  related  to  Mr.  Main- 
waring.  She  was  a  strikingly  handsome  woman,  with  that 
type  of  physical  beauty  which  commands  admiration,  rather 
than  winning  it ;  tall,  with  superb  form  and  carriage,  rich 
olive  skin,  large  dark  eyes,  brilliant  as  diamonds  and  as 
cold,  but  which  could  become  luminous  with  tenderness  or 
fiery  with  passion,  as  occasion  required.  To  those  whom 
she  sought  to  entertain  she  could  be  extremely  charming, 
but  to  a  few  even  of  these,  gifted  with  deeper  insight  than 
the  others,  it  seemed  that  beneath  that  fascinating  manner 
was  a  dangerous  nature,  a  will  that  would  brook  no  restraint, 
that  never  would  be  thwarted  ;  and  that  this  was,  in  reality, 
the  power  which  dominated  Fair  Oaks. 

16 


FAIR   OAKS 

After  years  of  mysterious  seclusion,  however,  the  beauti 
ful  home  of  Hugh  Mainwaring,  while  maintaining  its  usual 
reserve  towards  its  neighbors,  had  thrown  open  its  doors  to 
guests  from  across  the  water ;  and  on  the  particular  after 
noon  of  the  conference  in  the  private  offices  of  Main- 
waring  &  Co.,  there  might  have  been  seen  on  one  of  the 
upper  balconies  of  the  mansion  at  Fair  Oaks  a  group  of 
five  English  ladies,  engaged  in  a  discussion  of  their  first 
impressions  regarding  their  host  and  his  American  home. 
The  group  consisted  of  Mrs.  Ralph  Mainwaring  and  her 
daughter  Isabel ;  Miss  Edith  Thornton,  the  daughter  of 
William  Mainwaring  Thornton  and  the  fiancee  of  Hugh 
Mainwaring,  Jr.  ;  Miss  Winifred  Carleton,  a  cousin  of 
Miss  Thornton ;  and  Mrs.  Hogarth,  the  chaperone  of  the 
last  named  young  ladies. 

Understanding,  as  they  did,  the  occasion  of  this  their 
first  visit  to  the  western  world,  and  being  personally  inter 
ested  in  the  happy  event  so  soon  to  be  celebrated,  they 
naturally  felt  great  interest  in  their  new  surroundings. 
The  young  ladies  were  especially  enthusiastic  in  their 
expressions  of  admiration  of  the  house  and  grounds,  while 
Mrs.  Mainwaring,  of  even  more  phlegmatic  temperament 
than  her  husband,  remarked  that  it  was  a  fine  old  place, 
really  much  finer  than  she  expected  to  see,  which  was  quite 
an  admission  on  her  part. 

"It  is  just  as  lovely  as  it  can  be  !"  said  Winifred  Carle- 
ton,  coming  from  the  railing,  where  she  had  been  watching 
the  broad  expanse  of  ocean  visible  in  the  distance,  and 
seating  herself  on  a  divan  beside  her  cousin.  "  I  do  think, 
Edith,  you  are  the  most  fortunate  girl  in  the  world,  and  I 
congratulate  you  with  all  my  heart." 

' '  Thank  you,  Winnie, ' '  replied  Miss  Thornton,  a  pro 
nounced  blonde  like  her  father,  with  large,  childlike  blue 
eyes;  "but  it  will  be  yours  to  enjoy  as  much  as  mine,  for 

17 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

you  will  always  be  with  me ;  at  least,  till  you  are  married, 
you  know." 

"That  is  a  very  reckless  declaration  on  your  part,  for  I 
am  likely  never  to  marry,"  responded  Miss  Carleton, 
lightly.  She  was  an  orphan  and  an  heiress,  but  had  a 
home  in  the  family  of  William  Mainwaring  Thornton,  who 
was  her  uncle  and  guardian. 

Isabel  Mainwaring,  reclining  in  a  hammock  near  Miss 
Thornton,  smiled  languidly.  She  was  tall,  with  dark  hair 
and  the  Mainwaring  cold,  gray  eyes.  "  You  seem  to  ignore 
the  fact,"  she  said,  "  that  our  cousin  is  likely  to  live  in  the 
exclusive  enjoyment  of  his  home  for  many  years  to  come." 

"You  mercenary  wretch!"  retorted  Miss  Carleton; 
"are  you  already  counting  the  years  before  Mr.  Main- 
waring 's  death  ?" 

"Isabel,  I  am  shocked  !"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Mainwaring. 

"I  don't  know  why,"  replied  that  young  lady,  coolly. 
"I  was  only  thinking,  mamma ;  and  one  is  not  always 
accountable  for  one's  thoughts,  you  know." 

"But,"  said  Miss  Thornton,  wonderingly,  raising  her 
large  eyes,  full  of  inquiry,  to  Mrs.  Mainwaring,  "after 
our  cousin  has  announced  his  intention  of  making  Hugh 
his  heir,  don't  you  think  he  will  be  likely  to  extend  other 
invitations  to  visit  Fair  Oaks  ?' ' 

"Undoubtedly,  my  dear,"  replied  Mrs.  Mainwaring, 
"there  will  probably  be  an  exchange  of  courtesies  between 
the  two  branches  of  the  family  from  this  time.  Though 
I  must  say,"  she  added,  in  a  lower  tone,  and  turning  to 
Mrs.  Hogarth,  "  I  do  not  know  that  I,  for  one,  will  be 
particularly  anxious  to  repeat  my  visit  when  this  celebration 
is  once  over.  So  far  as  I  can  judge,  there  seems  to  be  no 
society  here.  Wilson  has  learned  from  the  servants  that 
Mr.  Mainwaring  lives  very  quietly,  in  fact,  receives  no 
company  whatever ;  and,  I  may  be  mistaken,  but  it  cer- 

18 


FAIR    OAKS 

tainly  seems  to  me  that  this  Mrs.  LaGrange  occupies  rather 
an  anomalous  position.  She  is  here  as  his  housekeeper,  a 
servant,  yet  she  entertains  his  guests,  and  her  manners  are 
anything  but  those  of  a  servant. ' ' 

"Why  shouldn't  she,  mamma?"  inquired  Isabel,  rather 
abruptly.  "  Cousin  Hugh  has  never  married, — which  is  a 
very  good  thing  for  us,  by  the  way, — and  who  would  help 
him  entertain  if  his  housekeeper  did  not  ?" 

"It  is  not  her  position  to  which  I  object  so  much, ' ' 
remarked  Mrs.  Hogarth,  quietly,  "though  I  admit  it  seems 
rather  peculiar,  but  there  is  something  about  her  own  per 
sonality  that  impresses  me  very  unfavorably. ' ' 

' '  In  your  opinion,  then,  she  is  not  a  proper  person, ' ' 
said  Mrs.  Mainwaring,  who  was  fond  of  jumping  at  con 
clusions ;  "well,  I  quite  agree  with  you." 

"No,"  said  Mrs.  Hogarth,  with  a  smile,  "I  have  not 
yet  formed  so  decided  an  opinion  as  that.  I  am  not  pre 
pared  to  say  that  she  is  a  bad  woman,  but  I  believe  she  is 
a  very  dangerous  woman." 

' '  Dear  Mrs.  Hogarth,  how  mercilessly  you  always  scatter 
my  fancies  to  the  winds  ! ' '  exclaimed  Miss  Thornton ; 
"  until  this  moment  I  admired  Mrs.  LaGrange  very  much." 

"I  did  not,"  said  Miss  Carleton,  quickly;  "from  my 
first  glimpse  of  her  she  has  seemed  to  me  like  a  malign 
presence  about  the  place,  a  veritable  serpent  in  this  beauti 
ful  Eden!" 

"Well,"  said  Isabel  Mainwaring,  with  a  slight  shrug, 
"  I  see  no  reason  for  any  concern  regarding  Mrs.  La- 
Grange,  whatever  she  may  be.  I  don't  suppose  she  will 
be  entailed  upon  Hugh  with  the  property  ;  and  I  only  hope 
that  before  long  we  can  buy  back  the  old  Mainwaring 
estate  into  our  own  branch  of  the  family." 

"That  is  just  wliat  your  father  intends  to  have  done 
whenever  the  property  comes  into  Hugh's  possession," 

19 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

replied  Mrs.  Mainwaring,  and  was  about  to  say  something 
further,  when  a  musical  whistle  attracted  the  attention  of 
the  ladies,  and,  looking  over  the  balcony  railing,  they  saw 
Hugh  Mainwaring,  Jr.,  approaching  the  house,  on  his 
return  from  a  day's  fishing,  accompanied  by  Walter  La- 
Grange,  a  young  sophomore,  home  on  his  vacation. 

The  former  was  a  typical  young  Englishman,  with  a 
frank,  pleasant  countenance.  The  latter,  while  inheriting 
his  mother's  beauty  and  resembling  her  in  a  marked  de 
gree,  yet  betrayed  in  his  face  a  weakness  which  indicated 
that,  lacking  ability  to  plan  and  execute  for  himself,  he 
would  become  a  ready  tool  to  aid  in  carrying  out  the 
designs  of  others. 

The  ladies,  having  discovered  the  hour  to  be  much  later 
than  they  supposed,  and  knowing  that  the  gentlemen  would 
soon  return  from  the  city,  speedily  adjourned  to  their 
dressing-rooms  to  prepare  for  dinner. 


20 


CHAPTER    III 

THE    LAST   WILL   AND    TESTAMENT    OF    HUGH    MAINWARING 

IMMEDIATELY  after  breakfast  the  following  morning,  Hugh 
Mainwaring,  having  excused  himself  to  his  guests,  retired 
to  his  private  library,  in  company  with  his  secretary  and 
Mr.  Whitney,  his  attorney.  A  number  of  fine  saddle- 
horses  having  been  brought  around  from  the  stables,  the 
young  people  cantered  gayly  down  the  oak-lined  avenue, 
intent  upon  a  morning  ride,  their  voices  echoing  musically 
through  the  grounds.  The  elderly  people,  after  a  short 
chat,  gradually  dispersed.  Mrs.  Mainwaring  retired  to  her 
room  for  her  accustomed  morning  nap ;  Mrs.  Hogarth 
sought  the  large  library  and  was  soon  absorbed  in  the 
works  of  her  favorite  author,  while  Ralph  Mainwaring  and 
Mr.  Thornton  strolled  up  and  down  the  gravelled  walks, 
enjoying  their  cigars. 

' '  This  is  a  very  good  bit  of  property, ' '  remarked  Mr. 
Mainwaring  at  length,  running  his  eye  with  cold  scrutiny 
over  the  mansion  and  grounds  ;  ' '  taking  into  consideration 
the  stocks  and  bonds  and  various  business  interests  that 
will  go  with  it,  it  will  make  a  fine  windfall  for  the  boy." 

"That  it  will,  and  Hugh  certainly  is  a  lucky  dog  !"  re 
sponded  Mr.  Thornton  ;  "  but  you  seem  to  have  some  defi 
nite  knowledge  regarding  our  cousin's  finances;  has  he 
given  you  any  idea  as  to  what  he  is  really  worth  ?" 

< '  He  ?  Not  a  word. ' '  Then  noting  an  expression  of  sur 
prise  on  his  companion's  face,  Mr.  Mainwaring  continued. 
"I  have  a  number  of  business  acquaintances  on  this  side 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

the  water,  and  you  may  rest  assured  I  have  kept  myself 
well  posted  as  to  the  way  things  were  going  all  these  years. 
I  have  had  something  of  this  kind  in  view  all  the  time." 

"I  might  have  known  it,"  replied  Mr.  Thornton, 
with  an  amused  smile.  "  I  never  yet  saw  a  Mainwaring 
who  did  not  understand  how  to  feather  his  own  nest. 
Well,  as  you  say,  it  is  a  fine  piece  of  property ;  but,  do 
you  know,  Mainwaring,  it  strikes  me  that  the  old  boy  seems 
a  bit  anxious  to  get  it  disposed  of  according  to  his  own 
liking  as  quickly  as  possible. ' ' 

"  It  does  look  that  way,"  the  other  acknowledged. 

"Well,  now,  doesn't  that  seem  a  little  peculiar,  when, 
with  no  direct  heirs  that  we  know  of,  the  property  would 
in  any  case  revert  to  your  family  ?' ' 

Ralph  Mainwaring  puffed  in  silence  for  a  few  moments, 
then  removing  his  cigar  and  slowing  knocking  off  the  ashes, 
he  replied  very  deliberately, — 

"It  is  my  opinion  that  he  and  that  attorney  of  his 
are  aware  of  some  possible  claimants,  of  whom  we  know 
nothing. ' ' 

"That  is  my  idea  exactly,"  said  Mr.  Thornton;  "and, 
don't  you  know,  it  has  occurred  to  me  that  possibly,  un 
known  to  us,  Harold  Mainwaring  may  have  left  a  child, 
whose  existence  is  known  to  Hugh." 

' '  That  would  cut  no  figure  in  this  case, ' '  Mr.  Mainwar 
ing  answered,  quickly.  "  Even  had  there  been  a  living 
child, — which  there  was  not, — he  could  make  no  claim 
whatever,  for  Harold  was  disinherited  by  his  father's 
will." 

"Yes,  I  know  the  old  gentleman  disinherited  Harold, 
but  would  his  heirs  have  no  claim  ?' ' 

"  Not  under  that  will.  I  was  present  when  it  was  read, 
and  I  remember  it  debarred  '  both  him  and  his  heirs, 
forever.'  ' 

22 


THE   LAST  WILL  AND   TESTAMENT 

"Poor  Harold!"  said  Mr.  Thornton,  after  a  moment's 
silence  ;  "he  was  the  elder  son,  was  he  not ?' ' 

"Yes,  and  his  father's  favorite.  It  broke  the  old  man's 
heart  to  disinherit  him.  He  failed  rapidly  after  that  oc 
curred,  and  he  never  was  the  same  towards  Hugh.  I  al 
ways  thought  that  accounted  for  Hugh's  selling  the  old 
place  as  he  did ;  it  had  too  many  unpleasant  memo 
ries.  ' ' 

' '  Harold  died  soon  after  that  unfortunate  marriage,  I 
believe." 

' '  Yes  ;  he  learned  too  late  the  character  of  the  woman 
he  had  married,  and  after  the  death  of  their  only  child,  he 
left  her,  and  a  few  years  later  was  lost  at  sea. ' ' 

"Well,"  continued  Mr.  Thornton,  after  a  pause,  "have 
you  the  remotest  idea  as  to  who  these  possible  claimants 
against  the  property  may  be?" 

"  Only  the  merest  suspicion,  as  yet  too  vague  even  to 
mention  ;  but  I  think  a  day  or  two  will  probably  enable  me 
to  determine  whether  I  am  correct  or  not." 

At  that  moment,  Harry  Scott,  the  private  secretary, 
appeared,  with  a  message  to  the  gentlemen  from  Hugh 
Mainwaring,  to  the  effect  that  he  would  like  to  have  them 
join  himself  and  Mr.  Whitney  in  his  library. 

As  they  passed  around  to  the  southern  entrance  with  the 
secretary,  they  did  not  observe  a  closed  carriage  coming 
swiftly  up  the  driveway,  nor  a  tall,  slender  man,  with  ca 
daverous  features  and  sharp,  peering  eyes,  who  alighted 
and  hastily  rang  for  admittance.  But  two  hours  later,  as 
Mr.  Thornton  was  descending  the  winding  stairway  in  the 
main  hall,  he  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  strange  caller,  just 
taking  his  departure.  The  stranger,  hearing  footsteps, 
turned  towards  Mr.  Thornton,  and  for  an  instant  their  eyes 
met.  There  was  a  mutual  recognition  ;  astonishment  and 
scorn  were  written  on  Mr.  Thornton's  face,  while  the 

23 


THAT    MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

stranger  cowed  visibly  and,  with  a  fawning,  cringing  bow, 
made  as  speedy  an  exit  as  possible. 

At  luncheon  that  day  both  Hugh  Mainwaring  and  a 
number  of  his  guests  seemed  rather  preoccupied,  and  the 
meal  passed  in  unusual  silence.  Mrs.  LaGrange  exerted 
herself  to  be  particularly  entertaining  to  Mr.  Whitney,  but 
he,  though  courteously  responding  to  her  overtures,  made 
no  effort  to  continue  the  conversation.  Even  the  genial 
Mr.  Thornton  was  in  so  abstracted  a  mood  that  his 
daughter  at  last  rallied  him  on  his  appearance,  whereupon 
he  turned  somewhat  abruptly  to  his  host  with  the  inquiry, — 

"Are  you  personally  acquainted  with  Richard  Hobson  ?' ' 

For  an  instant,  Hugh  Mainwaring  seemed  confused,  and 
Mr.  Whitney,  always  on  the  alert,  noted  a  peculiar  expres 
sion  flash  across  the  face  of  Mrs.  LaGrange,  and  was  also 
conscious  of  an  almost  imperceptible  start  on  the  part  of 
the  young  secretary  seated  near  him. 

Mr.  Mainwaring  quickly  recovered  himself  and  replied, 
deliberately,  "Richard  Hobson,  the  attorney?  I  believe 
I  met  him  once  or  twice,  years  ago,  in  London,  but  I 
cannot  claim  any  acquaintance  with  him. ' ' 

"  Dick  Hobson  does  not  deserve  the  name  of  attorney," 
remarked  Ralph  Mainwaring;  "he  is  a  shyster  and  a 
scoundrel. ' ' 

"He  certainly  bears  a  hard  reputation,"  rejoined  Mr. 
Thornton;  "and  I  would  not  have  mentioned  his  name, 
only  that  I  met  him  here  about  half  an  hour  since,  and 
that  caused  me  to  make  the  inquiry  I  did." 

Hugh  Mainwaring  paled  visibly,  though  he  remained 
calm.  "Met  him  here,  in  my  house?  Impossible!"  he 
exclaimed,  at  the  same  time  glancing  towards  the  butler, 
but  the  face  of  that  functionary  was  as  immobile  as  rock. 
"  I  did  not  suppose  the  man  was  in  this  country  !" 

"Oh,  yes,"  replied  Ralph  Mainwaring ;  "heleftEng- 
24 


THE   LAST  WILL   AND   TESTAMENT 

land  about  two  years  ago ;  he  played  one  too  many  of  his 
dirty  games  there  and  took  the  first  steamer  for  America, 
hoping,  I  suppose,  to  find  a  wider  sphere  of  action  in  this 
country. ' ' 

"Possibly  I  may  have  been  mistaken,"  remarked  Mr. 
Thornton,  quietly,  realizing  that  he  had  unconsciously 
touched  an  unpleasant  chord,  "but  the  resemblance  was 
certainly  striking." 

An  awkward  silence  followed,  broken  by  young  Scott, 
who  excused  himself  on  the  plea  of  important  work  and  re 
turned  to  Mr.  Mainwaring's  library,  where  he  was  soon 
joined  by  all  the  gentlemen  excepting  young  Mainwaring. 
In  the  hall,  Hugh  Mainwaring  paused  for  a  few  words  with 
the  butler,  and  the  attorney,  passing  at  that  moment, 
caught  the  man's  reply,  given  in  a  low  tone, — 

"No,  sir;   Mrs.  LaGrange." 

A  little  later,  the  last  will  and  testament  of  Hugh  Main- 
waring  was  signed  by  the  testator,  and  duly  attested  by 
Ralph  Mainwaring,  William  Mainwaring  Thornton,  and 
William  H.  Whitney.  As  the  last  signature  was  completed, 
Hugh  Mainwaring  drew  a  heavy  sigh,  saying  in  a  low 
tone, — 

'•  That  is  as  I  wished,  my  namesake  is  my  heir;"  then 
taking  the  document,  he  placed  it  in  the  hands  of  his  sec 
retary,  adding,  "Lay  this  for  the  present  on  my  desk. 
To-morrow  I  wish  it  to  be  read  in  the  presence  of  all  the 
members  of  the  family,  after  which,  Mr.  Whitney,  I  desire 
to  have  it  put  in  your  possession  for  safe  keeping  until  it  is 
needed ;  when  that  will  be,  no  one  can  say ; — it  may  be 
sooner  than  we  think." 

A  marked  change  had  come  over  his  manner  since 
luncheon,  and  his  tones,  even  more  than  his  words,  made 
a  deep  impression  on  the  mind  of  every  one  present.  The 
shade  of  melancholy  passed,  however,  and,  ringing  the 

25 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

bell,  Hugh  Mainwaring  ordered  carriages  for  himself  and  his 
guests  for  the  afternoon  and  departed,  leaving  his  secretary 
to  attend  to  some  private  work  in  the  library. 

Harry  Scott's  manner,  upon  finding  himself  alone  within 
the  private  rooms  of  Hugh  Mainwaring,  betrayed  intense 
excitement.  He  pushed  his  work  impatiently  from  him 
and,  rising,  began  to  walk  swiftly,  though  noiselessly,  back 
and  forth,  the  entire  length  of  the  two  apartments.  Twice 
he  paused  before  the  large  desk,  and  taking  therefrom  the 
will,  already  familiar  to  him,  read  its  contents  with  burn 
ing  eyes  while  his  face  alternately  flushed  and  paled. 
Then  folding  and  replacing  the  document,  he  turned  to 
wards  the  safe,  muttering, — 

"It  is  no  use.  I  have  searched  there  once  before  and 
could  find  nothing." 

Suddenly  he  exclaimed,  ' '  No  one  knows  what  may 
happen ;  this  may  be  my  last  opportunity  !  I  will  search 
once  more  and  leave  not  a  corner  unexplored." 

Having  locked  the  library,  he  returned  to  the  safe.  He 
knew  the  combination,  and  soon  the  great  doors  swung 
open,  revealing  the  contents  arranged  with  the  precision 
for  which  Mr.  Mainwaring  was  noted  in  his  business  habits. 
Conscious  that  he  had  abundance  of  time  for  the  work  he 
had  undertaken  and  that  he  was  secure  from  interruption, 
he  began  a  careful  and  methodical  search  through  all  the 
compartments.  Various  private  documents  were  examined 
and  then  replaced  in  exactly  their  original  position,  but  all 
seemed  of  no  avail.  He  discovered  no  trace  of  that  which 
he  hoped  to  find. 

At  last  he  came  to  a  metallic  box,  which  he  surmised, 
from  its  weight  and  general  appearance,  contained  the  old 
family  jewels.  Should  he  open  that?  A  moment's 
thought  decided  the  question  ;  he  would  leave  nothing  un 
explored.  Further  search  revealed  the  key  concealed  in  a 

26 


THE   LAST   WILL   AND   TESTAMENT 

tiny  drawer.  He  applied  it  to  the  lock ;  the  cover  flew 
backward,  and  a  dazzling  light  flashed  into  his  face  as  a 
ray  of  sunlight  fell  across  his  shoulder  upon  the  superb 
gems,  gleaming  and  scintillating  from  the  depths  of  their 
hiding-place.  But  he  paid  little  heed  to  them,  for,  in  a 
long  and  narrow  receptacle  within  one  side  of  the  box,  his 
keen  eye  had  discovered  a  paper,  yellow  and  musty  with 
age,  the  sight  of  which  thrilled  him  with  hope.  He 
quickly  drew  it  forth,  and  a  single  glance  at  its  title  assured 
him  it  was  indeed  the  object  of  his  search.  With  a  low 
cry  of  joy,  he  locked  and  replaced  the  metallic  box,  and, 
opening  the  ancient  document,  he  eagerly  scanned  its  con 
tents,  an  expression  of  intense  satisfaction  overspreading 
his  features. 

He  was  still  perusing  the  paper  when  he  heard  footsteps 
approaching  the  library  through  the  long  corridor,  followed 
an  instant  later  by  a  knock.  Depositing  the  precious 
document  safely  within  an  inside  pocket,  he  swung  the 
doors  of  the  safe  together,  turning  the  handle  so  as  to  lock 
it  securely,  and,  crossing  the  library,  unlocked  and  opened 
the  door. 

The  butler  was  standing  there,  and,  handing  Scott  a 
card,  said,  briefly, — 

"  A  gentleman  on  private  business  ;  must  see  Mr.  Main- 
waring  or  his  secretary  at  once." 

Scott  glanced  at  the  card:  it  bore  the  name  of  "J. 
Henry  Carruthers,"  with  a  London  address,  and  under 
neath  had  been  hastily  pencilled  the  word  "  Important." 

"  Show  the  gentleman  up,"  he  said.  The  butler  bowed 
and  was  gone,  and  in  an  incredibly  short  time,  while  yet 
Scott's  pulse  throbbed  wildly  from  his  recent  discovery, 
the  stranger  entered  the  room. 

He  was  a  little  above  the  average  height,  with  a  some 
what  commanding  presence,  rather  pale  face,  dark  mous- 

27 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

tache,  and  black  curling  hair.  He  wore  dark  glasses,  and 
was  dressed  in  a  tweed  suit,  slightly  travel-worn,  but  his 
manners  were  those  of  a  gentleman. 

"  Mr.  Scott,  I  believe,"  he  said,  addressing  the  secretary. 

"That  is  my  name,  sir;  please  be  seated.  What  can  I 
do  for  you,  Mr.  Carruthers  ?' ' 

"Will  you  inform  me,  Mr.  Scott,  of  the  earliest  hour 
at  which  I  can  see  Mr.  Mainwaring  ?  I  called  at  his  city 
office  and  was  directed  here ;  but  the  butler  states  that  Mr. 
Mainwaring  is  away  from  home,  and  is  unable  to  say  when 
he  will  return,  or  how  soon  he  would  be  at  liberty  to  see  me. ' ' 

' '  Mr.  Mainwaring  will  probably  return  about  five  o'  clock ; 
but  it  is  rather  difficult  for  me  to  state  when  you  could  see 
him,  as  he  is  entertaining  a  number  of  guests,  and  it  is 
doubtful  if  he  would  care  to  attend  to  any  business  just  at 
this  time,  unless  it  were  of  special  importance." 

"My  business  with  Mr.  Mainwaring  is  of  special  im 
portance,  ' '  replied  the  other  ;  ' '  and  I  would  be  very  glad 
if  he  could  give  me  a  little  time  to-morrow." 

"  Perhaps,  if  you  would  give  me  some  intimation  of  its 
nature,"  Scott  suggested,  "Mr.  Mainwaring  might  con 
sent  to  make  an  appointment  for  the  following  day.  I 
hardly  think  he  would  see  you  sooner,  To-morrow  is  his 
birthday,  and,  as  it  is  to  be  celebrated  by  him  and  his 
guests,  it  is  doubtful  whether  he  would  attend  to  any 
business  on  that  day." 

"  Indeed  !"  said  Mr.  Carruthers,  rising,  while  Scott  was 
conscious  of  a  peculiar  scrutiny  fixed  upon  himself  from 
behind  those  dark  glasses;  "  it  had  escaped  my  mind,  but 
now  I  recall  that  Mr.  Mainwaring  is  to  celebrate  his  birthday 
by  making  his  young  English  cousin  and  namesake  his  heir. 
I  certainly  would  not  intrude  at  a  time  so  inopportune." 

The  secretary  started.  "  I  was  not  aware  that  Mr.  Main- 
waring's  intentions  were  generally  known,"  he  remarked. 

28 


THE   LAST   WILL   AND   TESTAMENT 

"Perhaps  not,"  replied  the  other,  in  a  peculiar  tone. 
"I  merely  heard  it  mentioned,  and  all  parties  have  my 
congratulations  and  best  wishes.  Kindly  say  to  Mr.  Main- 
waring  that  when  the  happy  event  is  over  I  hope  he  will 
give  me  his  earliest  consideration.  My  address  for  the 
present  will  be  the  Arlington  House.  Do  not  take  the 
trouble  to  ring,  I  can  find  my  way. ' ' 

' '  You  will  find  this  way  much  shorter,  sir, ' '  Scott  replied, 
opening  the  door  into  the  southern  hall.  Mr.  Carruthers 
thanked  him  and,  with  a  profound  bow,  took  his  departure. 

As  the  hour  was  late,  Scott  found  it  necessary  to  devote 
himself  at  once  to  his  work,  and  he  had  but  just  completed 
it  when  the  sound  of  wheels  was  heard  outside,  and  a  few 
moments  later  his  employer  entered  the  room. 

The  latter  studied  Mr.  Carruthers's  card  quite  attentively, 
and  frowned  upon  learning  that  his  intentions  regarding 
the  making  of  his  will  had  become  known  by  outsiders, 
but  he  soon  seemed  to  forget  the  occurrence.  Soon  all 
were  gathered  about  the  dinner-table,  and  the  evening 
passed  very  pleasantly. 

When,  at  a  late  hour,  Hugh  Mainwaring,  in  the  dimly- 
lighted  veranda,  bade  his  guests  good-night,  he  grasped  the 
hand  of  his  namesake  and  said,  in  a  tone  remarkably 
tender, — 

"Hugh,  my  boy,  the  distance  is  long  between  the 
twenty-first  and  the  fiftieth  mile-stones  on  the  journey  of 
life.  Heaven  grant,  when  you  shall  have  reached  the 
latter,  you  may  look  back  over  a  brighter  pathway  than 
I  do  to-night!" 

Then,  as  the  young  man  passed,  he  murmured  to  him 
self,  "  If  I  could  but  have  had  just  such  a  son  as  he  !" 

He  did  not  see,  though  there  was  one  who  did,  a 
woman's  form  glide  away  in  the  dim  light,  her  eyes 
gleaming  with  malignant  fire. 

29 


CHAPTER    IV 

A    TERRIBLE    AWAKENING 

FOR  some  time  after  his  guests  had  retired,  Hugh  Main- 
waring  remained  outside,  walking  up  and  down  in  the 
starlight,  apparently  absorbed  in  thought.  When  at  length 
he  passed  into  the  house,  he  met  his  secretary  coming  out 
for  a  solitary  smoke. 

' '  Come  to  my  library,  Mr.  Scott,  before  you  retire  for 
the  night,"  said  Mr.  Mainwaring. 

"At  once,  sir,  if  you  wish,"  the  secretary  replied. 

11  No,  there  is  no  hurry  ;  any  time  within  an  hour,"  and 
he  passed  up -stairs. 

Half  an  hour  later  Harry  Scott  passed  down  the  cor 
ridor  towards  the  library,  but  paused  on  hearing  an  angry 
voice  within,  which  he  at  once  recognized  as  Mrs.  La- 
Grange'.s. 

' '  Where  would  you  be  to-night  ?' '  she  cried,  ' '  where 
would  you  have  been  all  these  years,  if  I  had  but  exposed 
your  dishonesty  and  duplicity  ?  You  defrauded  your  only 
brother  during  his  lifetime ;  you  have  persistently  ignored 
your  son,  your  own  flesh  and  blood ;  and  now  you  would 
rob  him,  not  only  of  his  father's  name,  but  of  his  father's 
fortune, — cast  him  off  with  a  mere  pittance, — and  put 
this  stranger  in  the  place  which  is  rightfully  his,  and  wish 
that  you  had  been  given  such  a  son  as  he !  You  are 
in  my  power,  and  you  know  it  only  too  well ;  and  I  will 
make  you  and  your  high-born,  purse-proud  family  rue  this 
day's  work." 

Hugh  Mainwaring' s  reply  to  this  tirade  was  inaudible, 
30 


A   TERRIBLE   AWAKENING 

and  Scott,  feeling  that  he  already  had  heard  too  much, 
withdrew,  and  continued  walking  up  and  down  the  halls 
until  the  library  door  opened  and  Mrs.  LaGrange  came 
out.  She  swept  past  him  in  a  towering  rage,  seeming 
scarcely  aware  of  his  presence  until,  as  he  passed  down 
the  corridor  and  entered  the  library,  he  was  suddenly 
conscious  that  she  had  turned  and  was  watching  him. 

He  found  Mr.  Mainwaring  looking  pale  and  fatigued. 

"I  will  detain  you  but  a  moment,  Mr.  Scott,"  he  said, 
speaking  wearily  ;  "I  have  a  few  instructions  I  would  like 
you  to  carry  out  early  in  the  morning ;  and  I  also  want  to 
say  that  I  wish  you  to  consider  yourself  as  one  of  my 
guests  to-morrow,  and  join  with  us  in  the  festivities  of  the 
occasion." 

Scott  thanked  his  employer  courteously,  though  there 
might  have  been  detected  a  shade  of  reserve  in  his  manner, 
and,  after  receiving  brief  directions  for  the  following  day, 
withdrew. 

He  went  to  his  room,  but  not  to  sleep.  His  mind  was 
too  full  of  the  events  of  the  day  just  passed,  as  well  as  of 
the  expected  events  of  the  morrow.  His  thoughts  reverted 
to  his  discovery  of  the  afternoon,  and,  taking  the  shabby 
document  from  his  pocket,  he  read  and  re-read  it  carefully, 
his  features  betraying  deep  emotion.  What  should  be 
done  with  it  ?  Should  he  let  his  employer  know  at  once 
of  the  proof  which  he  now  held  against  him  ?  Or  should 
he  hold  it  for  a  few  days  and  await  developments? 

It  was  nearly  three  o'clock  when  he  was  aroused  from 
his  abstraction  by  a  slight  sound,  as  of  stealthy  footsteps  in 
the  rear  of  the  house.  He  listened  intently  for  a  moment, 
but  hearing  nothing  further  and  discovering  the  lateness 
of  the  hour,  he  hastily  extinguished  the  light  and,  too 
exhausted  and  weary  to  undress,  threw  himself  as  he  was 
upon  a  couch  and  was  soon  sleeping  heavily. 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

The  sun  was  shining  brightly  into  his  room,  when 
Harry  Scott  was  awakened  the  next  morning  by  a  woman's 
scream,  followed  by  cries  and  sobs  and  a  confused  sound  of 
running  to  and  fro.  Almost  before  he  could  collect  his 
thoughts,  he  heard  steps  approaching  his  room,  and,  rising, 
hastily  exchanged  the  smoking-jacket  in  which  he  had 
slept  for  a  coat.  He  had  barely  time  to  make  the  change 
when  there  was  a  loud  knock,  and  some  one  called  his 
name  in  quick,  sharp  tones. 

Opening  the  door,  he  saw  Mr.  Whitney  standing  before 
him,  while  in  the  background  servants  were  running  in 
different  directions,  wringing  their  hands  and  moaning  and 
crying  hysterically. 

"  Mr.  Scott,"  said  the  attorney,  in  tones  trembling  with 
excitement,  "  come  to  the  tower-room  at  once  ;  Mr.  Main- 
waring  has  been  murdered  ! ' ' 

"Mr.  Mainwaring  murdered!"  he  exclaimed,  reeling 
for  an  instant  as  if  from  a  blow.  "  Great  heavens  !  it  can 
not  be  possible  ! ' ' 

"It  is  terrible,  but  a  fact,  nevertheless,"  replied  Mr. 
Whitney ;  "he  was  murdered  last  night  in  his  private 
rooms. ' ' 

"  How  and  when  was  it  discovered?"  Scott  inquired, 
his  mind  still  dazed  by  the  wild  torrent  of  thought  surging 
through  his  brain  as  he  recalled  the  events  of  the  previous 
night. 

"  Hardy,  his  valet,  was  the  first  to  discover  it  this  morn 
ing.  We  have  telephoned  for  his  physician  and  for  the 
coroner;  they  will  be  out  on  the  next  train  from  the 
city." 

Harry  Scott  shuddered  as  he  entered  the  familiar  room 
where  he  had  taken  leave  of  his  employer  but  compara 
tively  few  hours  before.  Even  amid  the  confusion,  he 
noted  that  in  the  outer  room  everything  appeared  the  same 

32 


A   TERRIBLE   AWAKENING 

as  when  he  last  saw  it,  but  the  portieres  at  the  farther  side, 
pushed  widely  open,  revealed  a  ghastly  sight. 

Upon  the  floor,  about  half-way  between  the  desk  and 
safe,  his  head  resting  in  a  small  pool  of  blood,  lay  Hugh 
Mainwaring.  He  was  inclined  slightly  towards  his  right 
side,  his  arm  partially  extended,  and  on  the  floor,  near  his 
right  hand,  lay  a  revolver,  while  an  ugly  wound  just  above 
the  right  eye  and  near  the  temple  showed  where  the 
weapon  had  done  its  deadly  work.  The  closely  cut  hair 
about  the  temple  was  singed  and  his  face  was  blackened, 
showing  that  the  fatal  shot  had  been  fired  at  close  range. 
There  were  no  indications,  however,  of  a  struggle  of  any 
kind ;  the  great  revolving-chair,  usually  standing  in  front 
of  the  desk,  had  been  pushed  aside,  but  everything  else 
was  in  its  accustomed  place,  and  the  desk  was  closed  and 
locked. 

Ralph  Mainwaring  was  already  kneeling  beside  the  body  ; 
Mr.  Thornton  and  young  Mainwaring,  who  had  entered 
immediately  after  Scott  and  the  attorney,  stood  speechless 
with  horror.  With  what  conflicting  emotions  the  young 
secretary  gazed  upon  the  lifeless  form  of  his  employer, 
fortunately  for  him  at  that  moment,  no  one  knew ;  as  his 
mind  cleared,  he  began  to  realize  that  his  position  was 
likely  to  prove  a  difficult  and  dangerous  one,  and  that  he 
must  act  with  extreme  caution. 

The  silence  was  first  broken  by  Mr.  Thornton,  who  ex 
claimed, — 

"Terrible  !  Terrible  !  What  do  you  think,  Mainwaring? 
is  this  murder  or  suicide  ?" 

"Time  alone  will  tell,"  replied  Mr.  Mainwaring  in  a 
low  tone  ;  ' '  but  I  am  inclined  to  think  it  is  murder. ' ' 

"  Murder  without  a  doubt !"  added  Mr.  Whitney. 

' '  But  who  could  have  done  such  a  deed  ?' '  groaned  Mr. 
Thornton. 

3  33 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

Hugh  Mainwaring  was  attired,  as  when  Scott  had  last 
seen  him,  in  a  rich  dressing-gown ;  but  as  the  secretary 
knelt  beside  the  silent  form  and  touched  the  left  hand 
lying  partially  hidden  in  its  folds,  he  gave  a  slight  start, 
and,  quickly  passing  his  hand  within  the  dressing-gown, 
announced  in  a  low  tone, — 

"  His  diamond  ring  and  his  watch  are  both  gone  !" 

"  Robbery  !"  exclaimed  young  Mainwaring  ;  "  that  must 
have  been  the  object  of  the  murderer  ! ' '  while  his  father, 
glancing  towards  the  safe,  remarked, — 

"We  must  ascertain  whether  anything  else  is  miss 
ing." 

"We  will  make  a  thorough  examination  of  the  room 
after  the  coroner's  arrival,"  said  Mr.  Whitney,  "but,  for 
the  present,  everything  must  remain  as  it  is." 

"  Should  we  not  send  for  a  detective  at  once?"  Mr. 
Thornton  inquired. 

"  I  have  already  telephoned  for  one  upon  my  own  re 
sponsibility,  ' '  replied  the  attorney. 

"When  were  you  last  in  these  rooms,  Mr.  Scott?" 
asked  Ralph  Mainwaring  of  the  secretary,  who  had  risen 
to  his  feet  and  was  making  a  careful  survey  of  the  room. 

"About  twelve  o'clock  last  night,  sir,"  was  his  reply; 
then  noting  a  look  of  surprise  on  the  faces  about  him,  he 
added, — 

"I  came  at  Mr.  Mainwaring's  request,  as  he  wished  to 
give  directions  regarding  some  work  to  be  done  this 
morning." 

"  He  was  alone  at  that  time?" 

"Yes,  sir." 

"How  did  he  appear?"  inquired  Mr.  Thornton. 

"  The  same  as  usual,  except  that  he  seemed  very  weary." 

"Was  he  in  this  room?"  asked  Mr.  Mainwaring. 

"  No,  sir;  he  was  seated  in  the  library." 
34 


A   TERRIBLE   AWAKENING 

The  sound  of  voices  in  the  corridor  attracted  Mr.  Main- 
waring' s  attention,  and  he  turned  quickly  to  his  son, — 

"  Hugh,  I  hear  your  mother's  voice  ;  go  and  meet  her. 
The  ladies  must  not  be  allowed  to  come  in  here." 

Mr.  Thornton  turned  to  accompany  young  Mainwaring. 
Near  the  door  he  met  his  daughter  and  Miss  Carleton, 
while  a  little  farther  down  the  corridor  were  Isabel  Main- 
waring  and  her  mother.  With  terror-stricken  faces  they 
gathered  about  him,  unable  to  believe  the  terrible  report 
which  they  had  learned  from  the  servants.  As  best  he 
could,  he  answered  their  numerous  inquiries,  and,  having 
escorted  them  to  another  part  of  the  house,  left  them  in 
charge  of  young  Mainwaring,  while  he  returned  to  the 
library. 

Meanwhile,  the  news  of  the  murder  had  spread  with 
lightning-like  rapidity,  and  already  crowds  of  people,  drawn 
by  that  strange  fascination  which  always  exists  for  a  certain 
class  in  scenes  of  this  kind,  were  gathering  on  the  grounds 
outside  the  house,  forming  in  little  groups,  conversing 
with  the  servants,  or  gazing  upward  with  awe-stricken 
glances  at  the  closely-drawn  shutters  of  the  room  in  the 
tower.  The  invisible  barriers  which  so  long  had  excluded 
the  public  from  Fair  Oaks  had  been  swept  away  by  the 
hand  of  death,  and  rich  and  poor,  capitalist  and  laborer, 
alike  wandered  unrestrained  up  and  down  the  oak-lined 
avenue. 

At  the  door  of  the  library,  Mr.  Thornton  found  Ralph 
Mainwaring  and  the  attorney  conversing  together  in  low 
tones. 

"Yes,"  Mr.  Mainwaring  was  saying,  "as  you  say,  it  is 
undoubtedly  murder  ;  but  I  confess  I  am  at  a  loss  to  under 
stand  the  motive  for  such  a  deed,  unless  it  were  robbery ; 
and  you  do  not  seem  to  give  that  idea  much  credence?" 

Mr.  Whitney  shook  his  head  decidedly.  "Unless  we 
35 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

find  very  strong  evidence  in  that  direction,  I  cannot 
believe  that  this  is  any  case  of  common  robbery. ' ' 

"But  to  what  other  motive  would  you  attribute  it?" 
inquired  Mr.  Mainwaring. 

"Until  further  facts  have  been  developed  which  may 
throw  light  upon  the  subject,  I  do  not  feel  prepared  to  say 
what  the  motive  might  have  been. ' ' 

"You  evidently  have  your  suspicions,"  remarked  Mr. 
Mainwaring,  while  Mr.  Thornton  inquired, — 

"  Had  our  cousin  any  enemies  that  you  know  of?" 

Mr.  Whitney  turned  a  keen,  penetrating  glance  upon 
Mr.  Thornton  for  an  instant,  and  the  latter  continued, — 

"I  thought  it  possible  that  in  his  business  relations  he 
might  have  incurred  the  enmity  of  some  one  of  whom  you 
knew. ' ' 

"No,"  the  attorney  answered,  quickly,  "I  am  not 
aware  of  anything  of  that  nature.  Mr.  Mainwaring  made 
few  intimate  friends,  but  he  was  universally  respected  by 
all  who  knew  him.  If  he  had  any  enemies,"  he  added, 
very  slowly,  "  they  were  within  his  own  household." 

Ralph  Mainwaring  looked  sharply  at  the  attorney,  but 
Mr.  Thornton  exclaimed, — 

"Egad  !  sir,  but  you  surely  do  not  think  this  deed  was 
committed  by  any  one  of  the  inmates  of  this  house?" 

"As  I  have  already  said,"  replied  Mr.  Whitney,  "I 
am  not  prepared  to  state  what  I  do  think  without  further 
knowledge  of  the  facts  in  the  case." 

"Of  course  we  understand  that,"  rejoined  Mr.  Main- 
waring;  "but  we  desire  to  have  the  benefit  of  your  opin 
ions  and  judgment  regarding  this  case  so  soon  as  you  do  feel 
justified  in  expressing  them,  and,  since  you  are  vastly 
more  familiar  with  the  circumstances  surrounding  it  than 
we,  we  wish  to  rely  on  your  suggestions  in  this  matter, ' ' 

The  attorney  bowed.  "My  advice  for  the  present 
36 


A   TERRIBLE   AWAKENING 

would  be  to  take  care  that  no  one  leaves  the  premises,  and 
that  you  also  send  for  Mrs.  LaGrange  ;  I  wish  to  see  her, ' ' 
he  said  briefly,  and  passed  into  the  library. 

Ralph  Mainwaring  beckoned  to  the  butler,  who  was 
standing  at  a  little  distance,  awaiting  orders. 

"  Call  the  housekeeper  at  once,  Mr.  Whitney  wishes  to 
see  her  in  the  library ;  and  send  Wilson  to  me,  and  al^o 
the  coachman." 

With  a  silent  acknowledgment  of  the  order  the  butler 
withdrew,  and  a  moment  later,  John  Wilson,  a  middle- 
aged  man  and  a  servant  of  Ralph  Mainwaring' s  who  had 
accompanied  him  from  London,  appeared,  followed  by 
Brown,  the  coachman  at  Fair  Oaks. 

Mr.  Mainwaring  first  addressed  the  latter.  ' '  Brown,  for 
the  next  hour  or  so,  I  wish  you  to  be  stationed  in  the  hall 
below.  Keep  back  the  crowd  as  much  as  possible  ;  when 
the  coroner  and  physician  arrive  show  them  up  at  once, 
but  on  no  account  allow  any  one  else  to  come  up-stairs. ' ' 

Then  turning  to  his  own  serving-man,  as  Brown  de 
parted  to  the  duties  assigned  him,  Mr.  Mainwaring  con 
tinued, — 

"  For  you,  Wilson,  I  have  a  task  which  I  cannot  intrust 
to  any  one  else,  but  which  I  know  you  will  perform  faith 
fully  and  discreetly ;  so  far  as  you  are  able,  keep  a  close 
watch  upon  every  one  within  this  house,  without  seeming 
to  do  so ;  pay  close  attention  to  all  conversation  which  you 
hear,  and  if  you  hear  or  see  anything  unusual,  or  that 
seems  to  have  any  bearing  on  what  has  occurred,  report  to 
me  at  once.  Above  all,  do  not  let  any  of  the  servants 
leave  the  premises  without  they  have  my  permission." 

"Very  well,  sir,"  Wilson  replied;  as  he  moved  away 
the  butler  reappeared. 

' '  The  housekeeper  has  not  yet  left  her  room,  sir, ' '  he 
said,  addressing  Mr.  Mainwaring.  ' '  I  gave  the  message  by 

37 


THAT    MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

the  chambermaid,  and  she  sent  word  that  she  had  been 
prostrated  by  the  terrible  news  this  morning,  sir,  but  that 
she  would  see  Mr.  Whitney  in  a  few  moments. ' ' 

As  the  man  retreated,  Mr.  Thornton  paused  suddenly  in 
his  walk  up  and  down  the  corridor, — 

"'Pon  my  soul,  Mainwaring  !  it  strikes  me — particu 
larly  since  hearing  that  will  read  yesterday — that  there 
must  have  been  something  with  reference  to  that  woman 
— well — rather  peculiar,  don' t  you  know. ' ' 

"  It  strikes  me,"  replied  Mr.  Mainwaring  with  marked 
emphasis,  ' '  that  there  may  be  something  rather  '  peculiar, ' 
as  you  call  it,  in  that  direction  at  present,  and  I  believe 
Mr.  Whitney  is  of  the  same  opinion." 

"  How  is  that?  You  surely  do  not  think  it  possible  that 
in  his  mind  she  is  in  any  way  associated  with  this  murder — 
if  it  is  a  murder?" 

' '  He  evidently  suspects  some  one  in  this  house,  and  for 
the  present  we  can  draw  our  own  inferences.  Regarding 
those  provisions  in  the  will  to  which  you  just  now  alluded, 
I  can  assure  you  I  was  not  too  well  pleased ;  but  I  knew  it 
was  useless  to  raise  any  objections  or  questions ;  to  my 
mind,  however,  they  furnish  a  clue  as  to  the  possible 
claimants  against  the  estate,  which  we  were  discussing  yes 
terday,  and  perhaps  a  clue  to  this  latest  development, 
also." 

"By  my  soul!  it  looks  like  it;  but  surely  she  could 
have  no  valid  claim." 

"Valid  or  not,"  replied  Ralph  Mainwaring,  "there 
must  have  been  a  powerful  claim  of  some  kind.  When  a 
man  of  Hugh  Mainwaring' s  type  leaves  a  handsome  an 
nuity  to  his  housekeeper,  and  an  interest  in  his  business 
worth  fifty  or  seventy-five  thousand  to  her  son,  it  may  be 
considered  pretty  strong  evidence  that " 

At  a  warning  glance  from  Mr.  Thornton,  Ralph  Main- 
38 


A    TERRIBLE   AWAKENING 

waring  paused  abruptly  and,  turning,  saw  Mrs.  LaGrange 
coming  noiselessly  down  the  corridor.  She  was  dressed 
with  even  more  than  usual  care,  with  quantities  of  rich 
lace  fastened  loosely  about  her  shapely  neck  and  falling  in 
profusion  over  her  beautifully  moulded  wrists  and  hands. 
Her  dark,  handsome  features  bore  no  trace  of  recent  pros 
tration,  but  betrayed,  instead,  signs  of  intense  excitement. 
She  bowed  silently  and  passed  onward,  entering  the  library 
so  quietly  that  the  attorney,  absorbed  in  thought,  was  un 
aware  of  her  presence  until  she  stood  before  him.  He 
started  slightly,  and  for  an  instant  neither  spoke.  Each 
was  silently  gauging  the  power  of  the  other. 

For  some  time,  Mrs.  LaGrange  had  been  conscious  that 
Mr.  Whitney  was  one  of  the  few  whose  penetration  could 
not  be  blinded  by  her  blandishments.  In  addition,  the 
fact  that  he  was  the  private  solicitor  and  legal  adviser  of 
Hugh  Mainwaring  did  not  tend  to  inspire  her  with  confi 
dence  regarding  his  attitude  towards  herself.  Nevertheless, 
he  was  an  eminent  attorney  and  this  was  a  critical  moment ; 
if  she  could  gain  his  favor  and  his  services  in  her  behalf, 
it  would  be  a  brilliant  stroke  of  policy.  Her  plans  were 
well  laid,  and  she  was  prepared  to  assume  whatever  role  was 
necessary,  so  soon  as  his  words  or  manner  should  give  her 
the  desired  cue. 

For  this,  she  did  not  have  long  to  wait ;  one  searching 
glance,  and  she  had  read  in  the  piercing  scrutiny  and  cold 
scorn  of  his  keen  blue  eye  that,  so  far  from  winning  favor 
from  him,  he  would  prove  her  most  bitter  opponent,  and 
as  quickly  she  determined  upon  her  future  course  of  action. 

Mr.  Whitney,  on  the  other  hand,  though  a  frequent 
visitor  at  Fair  Oaks,  and  familiar  with  the  fascinating 
manner  with  which,  when  she  chose,  Mrs.  LaGrange 
entertained  the  guests  of  Hugh  Mainwaring,  was  now 
forced  to  acknowledge  to  himself  that  never  had  he  seen 

39 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

this  handsome  woman  so  beautiful  as  at  the  present  mo 
ment.  The  eyes  looking  into  his  with  such  depth  of 
meaning, — the  expression,  the  attitude, — all  were  utterly 
unlike  anything  which  he  had  ever  seen;  but  his  face 
grew  only  the  more  stern,  for  the  thought  then  and 
there  occurred  to  him  that  perhaps  here  was  the  solution 
of  the  mysterious  power  which  this  woman  had  wielded 
over  the  man  whose  lifeless  form  was  now  lying  in  their 
presence. 

He  observed  that  the  luminous  eyes  grew  suddenly  cold, 
while  her  head  assumed  its  usual  haughty  poise  ;  the  brief 
spell  was  over,  and  each  understood  the  other. 

After  a  few  general  directions,  Mr.  Whitney  remarked, 
"This  day's  events  will  be  far  different  from  what  we  had 
anticipated. ' ' 

"Yes,"  she  replied,  with  a  mocking  smile,  "in  that  it 
brings  to  the  guests  of  this  house,  instead  of  future  expec 
tations,  the  immediate  realization  of  their  wishes!" 

"It  is  not  to  be  conceived  for  one  moment  that  any  of 
them  take  that  view  of  what  has  occurred,"  he  replied,  in 
a  tone  of  displeasure. 

"Possibly  not,"  she  rejoined,  "although  the  prospec 
tive  long  life  of  their  host  seemed  to  greatly  detract,  at 
least  in  the  case  of  one  of  their  number,  from  their  enjoy 
ment  of  the  occasion  which  they  had  come  to  celebrate." 

"To  whom  do  you  refer?"  he  inquired. 

"  It  is  unnecessary  to  give  names, ' '  she  answered,  coldly  ; 
"but  had  the  Mainwarings  of  London  known  the  facts 
which  I  know,  they  would  never  have  crossed  the  water  to 
take  part  in  the  farce  which  was  enacted  here  yesterday. 
There  are  Mainwarings  with  better  right  and  title  to  this 
estate  than  they,  as  they  will  soon  learn." 

Neither  by  look  nor  gesture  did  she  manifest  the  least 
consciousness  of,  or  concern  for,  the  inanimate  form  visible 

40 


A   TERRIBLE   AWAKENING 

in  the  adjoining  room.  With  sudden  directness,  and  ig 
noring  the  implied  threat  in  her  last  words,  Mr.  Whitney 
asked, — 

"  Mrs.  LaGrange,  at  what  hour  did  you  last  see  Hugh 
Main  war  ing  ?' ' 

She  was  about  to  reply,  when  Scott  entered  from  the 
tower-room.  He  had  heard  her  last  remark,  and  his  dark, 
piercing  eyes  were  fixed  upon  her  face  in  keen  scrutiny. 
She  was  quick  to  note  the  fact  and  hesitated  an  instant, 
while  a  change,  inexplicable  to  the  attorney,  passed  over 
her  face, — surprise,  a  shade  almost  of  fear,  and  haughty 
defiance  were  visible  in  quick  succession ;  then,  turning 
again  towards  Mr.  Whitney,  she  answered,  indifferently, — 

' '  It  was  quite  late  last  night ;  I  do  not  recollect  the 
hour." 

As  the  attorney  was  about  to  speak,  Mr.  Thornton 
appeared  at  the  door  of  the  library. 

' '  Beg  pardon,  Mr.  Whitney,  but  I  believe  the  coroner 
and  others  have  arrived ;  as  you  know  the  gentlemen,  will 
you  kindly  meet  them  ?' ' 

' '  Certainly.  Mr.  Scott,  you  will  please  remain  here, ' ' 
and  the  attorney  hastened  out  into  the  corridor. 

Again  Mrs.  LaGrange  and  the  secretary  faced  each 
other  in  silence,  each  apparently  trying  to  read  the  other's 
thoughts  and  probe  the  depth  of  the  other's  knowledge; 
then,  as  the  gentlemen  were  heard  approaching,  she  with 
drew,  leaving  him  alone. 


CHAPTER    V 

IMPORTANT    DISCOVERIES 

As  the  attorney,  in  response  to  the  summons  from  Mr. 
Thornton,  hastened  from  the  corridor  into  the  main  hall, 
five  gentlemen  were  slowly  ascending  the  broad  stairway, 
conversing  together  in  subdued  tones.  One,  younger  than 
the  others  and  evidently  more  familiar  with  the  surroundings 
at  Fair  Oaks,  stepped  quickly  in  advance  of  the  rest  and 
extended  his  hand  to  Mr.  Whitney  in  silent  greeting. 
This  was  Dr.  Hobart,  Hugh  Main  waring' s  physician  and 
one  of  his  most  intimate  friends,  although  a  number  of 
years  his  junior.  Following  him  were  Mr.  Elliott  and 
Mr.  Chittenden,  of  the  firm  of  Mainwaring  &  Co.,  while 
bringing  up  the  rear  were  the  coroner  and  a  gentleman, 
somewhat  below  medium  size  and  of  modest  appearance, 
whom  the  attorney  greeted  very  cordially  and  afterwards 
introduced  to  Mr.  Thornton  as  Mr.  Merrick.  Proceeding 
at  once  to  the  library,  they  were  joined  a  moment  later  by 
Ralph  Mainwaring  and  his  son.  The  necessary  introduc 
tions  followed,  and  Mr.  Mainwaring  having  given  the 
butler  instructions  to  admit  no  one  into  the  library,  Mr. 
Whitney  made  a  brief  statement  regarding  the  discovery 
of  the  murder,  and  all  passed  into  the  room  in  the  tower. 

Dr.  Hobart  at  once  bent  over  the  prostrate  form  with 
genuine  sorrow.  The  millionaire  broker  had  been  one  of 
his  earliest  patrons,  and  their  acquaintance  had  soon  ripened 
into  a  mutual  attachment,  notwithstanding  the  disparity  in 
their  ages.  After  a  long  look  at  the  face  of  his  friend,  he 
gave  place  to  the  coroner,  who  was  also  a  physician.  They 

42 


IMPORTANT   DISCOVERIES 

partially  lifted  the  body  and  both  examined  the  wound, 
the  small  man  who  had  accompanied  the  coroner  looking 
on  silently.  It  was  found  that  the  bullet  had  entered  just 
above  the  right  eye  and  had  passed  through  the  brain  in  a 
slightly  downward  direction,  coming  out  near  the  base 
upon  the  same  side.  The  most  careful  search  failed  to 
disclose  the  bullet,  and  attention  was  next  directed  to  the 
revolver  lying  upon  the  floor  near  the  right  hand.  It  was 
a  Smith  &  Wesson,  thirty-two  calibre,  with  but  one  empty 
chamber,  that  from  which  the  fatal  bullet  had  probably 
been  discharged. 

"  Can  any  of  you  gentlemen  tell  me  whether  or  not  this 
belonged  to  the  deceased  ?' '  inquired  the  coroner,  holding 
up  the  revolver. 

There  was  an  instant's  pause,  and  Mr.  Whitney  replied, 
' '  I  know  that  Mr.  Mainwaring  owned  a  revolver,  but, 
having  never  seen  it,  am  unable  to  answer  your  inquiry. 
Perhaps  his  secretary  could  give  you  the  desired  informa 
tion." 

"  I  have  often  seen  a  revolver  lying  in  Mr.  Mainwaring's 
desk, ' '  said  the  secretary ;  ' '  but  I  doubt  whether  I  could 
identify  it,  as  I  never  observed  it  closely.  I  should  judge, 
however,  that  this  was  the  same  size  and  make. ' ' 

"Would  it  not  be  well  to  see  if  it  is  still  there?"  sug 
gested  the  attorney.  ' '  I  suppose  you  have  a  key  to  the 
desk." 

"  I  have,  sir,"  he  replied,  at  the  same  time  producing  it. 
Crossing  the  room,  he  unlocked  and  opened  the  desk.  An 
instant  later,  he  announced,  as  he  closed  the  desk,  "It  is 
not  here." 

There  was  a  subdued  murmur,  and  Mr.  Thornton  was 
heard  to  exclaim,  ' '  Suicide  !  That  has  been  my  impression 
all  along. ' ' 

Ralph  Mainwaring  glanced  inquiringly  at  the  attorney, 
43 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

who  shook  his  head  emphatically,  while  the  coroner  once 
more  inspected  the  wound  with  an  air  of  perplexity. 

' '  Doctor, ' '  inquired  Ralph  Mainwaring,  ' '  in  your 
opinion,  how  long  has  life  been  extinct  ?' ' 

' '  I  should  judge  about  eight  or  nine  hours, ' '  replied 
Dr.  Hobart.  "What  would  you  say,  Dr.  Westlake?" 

"  That  would  be  my  judgment,  also." 

"You  would  say  that  death  was  instantaneous?"  ques 
tioned  the  attorney. 

"Without  a  doubt.     It  could  not  have  been  otherwise." 

Ralph  Mainwaring  consulted  his  watch.  "It  is  now 
half  after  nine ;  in  your  judgment,  then,  this  must  have 
occurred  about  one  o'clock  this  morning?" 

"About  that  time." 

"At  what  hour  was  Mr.  Mainwaring  last  seen  by  any 
one  in  this  house  ?' '  asked  the  coroner. 

"As  nearly  as  we  have  ascertained  thus  far,  at  about 
twelve  o'clock." 

"Twelve?     Indeed!     By  whom?  and  where?" 

"By  his  private  secretary,  and  in  the  library  adjoining." 

' '  Very  well, ' '  said  the  coroner,  after  a  pause,  during 
which  he  had  made  a  memorandum  of  certain  details 
which  he  considered  of  special  importance;  "the  under 
taker  can  now  be  summoned,  as  I  believe  he  is  waiting 
below,  and  we  seem  to  have  ascertained  all  the  facts  pos 
sible  in  this  direction ;  and,  Mr.  Whitney,  I  will  next  see 
the  valet,  whom  you  say  was  the  one  to  discover  the  situ 
ation  this  morning." 

In  the  slight  confusion  and  delay  which  ensued,  Mr. 
Elliott  and  Mr.  Chittenden  took  their  departure,  with  the 
usual  expressions  of  condolence  and  regret,  followed  a  few 
moments  later  by  Dr.  Hobart,  who  was  accompanied  down 
stairs  by  young  Mainwaring. 

Meanwhile,  Mr.  Merrick,  having  made  a  close  scrutiny 
44 


IMPORTANT   DISCOVERIES 

of  the  lifeless  form,  had  been  slowly  walking  back  and 
forth  in  the  tower-room  and  library,  his  hands  in  the 
pockets  of  his  short  sacque  coat  and  his  eyes  apparently 
riveted  on  the  floor.  Several  times  in  the  library  he 
paused  and,  bending  downward,  seemed  to  be  intently 
studying  the  carpet ;  then,  after  two  or  three  turns  about 
the  room,  he  sauntered  towards  the  windows  and  doors, 
examining  the  fastenings  of  each  in  turn,  and,  on  reaching 
the  door  opening  into  the  southern  hall,  suddenly  disap 
peared. 

' '  A  very  mysterious  case  ! ' '  commented  the  coroner, 
when  he  had  finished  his  interview  with  the  valet.  "  Thus 
far  nothing  can  be  learned  which  throws  much  actual  light 
on  the  subject  one  way  or  another,  but  if  anybody  can 
unravel  the  mystery,  Merrick  can." 

' '  Merrick  ! ' '  repeated  Mr.  Thornton,  turning  to  Mr. 
Whitney  in  surprise.  "  Is  Mr.  Merrick  a  detective?" 

"He  is.  I  did  not  introduce  him  as  such,  for  the 
reason  that  in  a  case  of  this  kind  he  usually  prefers  to 
make  his  first  visit  incognito  if  possible." 

' '  Very  well ;  you  have  taken  the  responsibility  in  this 
matter.  You  understand,  of  course,  Mr.  Whitney,  that  we 
want  no  amateur  work  in  a  case  like  this. ' ' 

"  Mr.  Merrick  is  no  amateur,"  said  the  attorney,  quietly ; 
"he  is  one  of  the  most  trusted  and  one  of  the  surest  men 
on  the  force." 

"Before  we  go  any  farther,"  interposed  Ralph  Main- 
waring,  ' ( I  suggest  that  we  ascertain  whether  or  not  there 
has  been  a  robbery.  We  can  at  least  satisfy  ourselves  on 
that  point." 

' '  Acting  on  your  suggestion,  we  will  examine  the  safe, ' ' 
said  Mr.  Whitney;  "though  I,  for  one,  am  not  inclined 
to  think  there  has  been  any  robbery.  Without  a  knowl 
edge  of  the  combination,  the  safe  could  not  be  opened 

45 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

unless  force  were  employed ;  and  it  certainly  bears  no 
evidence  of  having  been  tampered  with. ' ' 

' '  Proceed  with  your  investigation,  Mr.  Whitney, ' '  said 
the  quiet  voice  of  the  detective,  who  had  entered  unob 
served  from  the  smoking-room  ;  ' '  unless  I  am  greatly  mis 
taken,  the  person  we  are  after  is  some  one  pretty  familiar 
with  various  'combinations'  in  these  apartments." 

There  was  a  general  expression  of  surprise,  and  all  turned 
towards  Mr.  Merrick  for  an  explanation,  but  a  glance  at  his 
impassive  face  convinced  them  that  questions  would  be 
useless. 

With  a  few  swift  turns  the  secretary  unlocked  the  safe 
and  the  ponderous  doors  swung  open,  showing  books  and 
papers  in  their  accustomed  places.  Everything  appeared 
in  perfect  order ;  but  as  the  attorney  began  a  rapid  ex 
amination  of  the  interior,  he  suddenly  uttered  a  sharp 
exclamation,  while,  as  he  continued  his  search,  his  manner 
betrayed  considerable  excitement. 

"Anything  wrong,  Mr.  Whitney?  anything  missing?" 
queried  Ralph  Mainwaring. 

"Everything  is  missing  !"  the  other  exclaimed,  after 
a  moment's  pause,  turning  around  with  a  pale  face  and 
holding  in  his  hand  an  empty  cash  box;  "there  is  ab 
solutely  nothing  left  but  an  old  cheque-book,  a  few  drafts, 
and  some  other  papers  of  no  value  whatever  except  to 
Hugh  Mainwaring  himself!" 

Half  a  score  of  questions  were  instantly  raised  :  "Was 
there  a  large  amount  of  money  in  the  safe?"  "  Did  it  con 
tain  anything  of  great  value  ?' ' 

Scott,  standing  silently  in  the  background,  seemed  to  see 
again  the  brilliant  gems  flashing  in  the  sunlight,  as  he  had 
seen  them  in  his  search  on  the  preceding  day,  but  he  said 
nothing. 

"  There  was  a  considerable  amount  of  cash,"  the  attorney 
46 


IMPORTANT   DISCOVERIES 

was  saying.  ' '  Mr.  Mainwaring  deposited  a  large  sum  there 
when  he  last  came  out  from  the  city,  and,"  he  added  more 
slowly,  "the  old  family  jewels  were  kept  in  the  safe." 

' '  The  Mainwaring  jewels  ! ' '  echoed  both  the  English 
men.  "Impossible!  incredible!"  While  Ralph  Mainwar 
ing  exclaimed,  ' '  Why,  they  were  worth  a  fortune  several 
times  over  in  themselves  !" 

"  I  am  aware  of  that,"  answered  the  attorney.  "  I  often 
remonstrated  with  Mr.  Mainwaring,  but  to  no  purpose ;  for 
some  reason  which  he  never  explained  he  always  kept  them 
there." 

"I  would  never  have  believed  him  capable  of  such 
recklessness,"  said  Mr.  Thornton. 

"Recklessness!"  exclaimed  Ralph  Mainwaring;  "it 
was  the  biggest  piece  of  imbecility  I  ever  heard  of !  What 
is  your  opinion  now,  Mr.  Whitney,  regarding  a  robbery  in 
connection  with  this  case  ?' ' 

"That  there  has  been  a  robbery  I  am  forced  to  admit," 
the  attorney  replied,  courteously  but  firmly;  "but  my 
opinion  of  the  matter  is  still  unchanged.  I  regard  the 
robbery  as  only  incident  to  the  murder.  I  do  not  yet  be 
lieve  it  to  have  led  to  the  deeper  crime." 

' '  Do  you  know,  Mr.  Scott,  whether  any  one  beside 
yourself  understood  the  combination  of  the  safe?"  Ralph 
Mainwaring  inquired. 

"I  do  not,  sir,"  the  secretary  replied,  conscious  that  all 
eyes  had  turned  upon  him  at  the  inquiry  and  that  the  de 
tective  was  observing  him  closely. 

Meanwhile  Ralph  Mainwaring  loudly  lamented  the 
missing  jewels,  until  it  was  evident  to  all  that  their  loss,  for 
the  time  at  least,  had  completely  overshadowed  all  thought 
of  the  tragedy  they  were  investigating. 

"They  must  be  recovered  at  all  hazards  and  at  any 
price, ' '  he  said,  addressing  the  detective.  ' '  There  were 

47 


THAT    MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

single  gems  in  that  collection  which  cost  a  fortune  and 
which  have  been  heirlooms  in  the  family  for  generations." 

After  further  search  which  failed  to  disclose  anything  of 
importance,  or  any  clue  regarding  either  the  murder  or  the 
robbery,  arrangements  were  made  for  the  inquest  to  be 
held  at  three  o'clock  that  afternoon,  and  the  party  was 
about  to  leave  the  apartments,  when  Mr.  Whitney  paused. 

"One  moment,  gentlemen;  there  is  one  more  point  I 
would  like  investigated.  I  maintain  that  we  have  not  yet 
discovered  the  most  essential  clue  to  this  case — something 
to  throw  light  on  the  possible  motive  which  prompted  the 
murder  of  Hugh  Mainwaring.  I  now  wish  to  make  a 
final  trial.  Mr.  Scott,  will  you  once  more  open  Mr.  Main- 
waring' s  desk  for  us  and  take  out  the  will  that  was  de 
posited  there  yesterday?" 

Ralph  Mainwaring  started.  "The  will?  You  surely  do 
not  think ' ' 

"I  think  it  might  be  safer  in  our  own  possession,"  said 
the  attorney,  with  a  peculiar  smile. 

"And  right  you  are  !"  added  Mr.  Thornton,  approvingly. 
"I  wonder  you  had  not  thought  of  that  yourself,  Main- 
waring.  ' ' 

Meanwhile,  Scott,  having  opened  the  desk  in  compliance 
with  the  attorney's  request,  had  looked  for  the  will  where 
he  had  last  seen  it  on  the  preceding  day,  and,  failing  to 
find  it,  was  searching  through  the  numerous  receptacles 
containing  Mr.  Mainwaring' s  private  papers.  The  silence 
around  him  became  oppressive,  and  suddenly  looking  up, 
he  encountered  the  glance  of  both  Mr.  Whitney  and  the 
detective,  the  former  with  an  expression  of  triumph  in  his 
keen  eyes.  Perplexed  and  bewildered,  Scott  exclaimed  in 
a  mechanical  tone, — 

"  The  will  is  gone ;  it  is  nowhere  to  be  found  !" 

"  I  thought  as  much,"  said  the  attorney,  quietly. 


CHAPTER    VI 

THE     INQUEST 

THE  crowd,  which  early  in  the  day  had  gathered  about 
Fair  Oaks,  instead  of  diminishing,  seemed  rather  to  increase 
as  the  hours  slipped  away.  Little  by  little  the  facts  be 
came  known  to  outsiders, — the  loss  of  the  old  family 
jewels,  concerning  whose  existence  and  probable  value 
vague  rumors  had  been  circulated  in  the  past,  the  drawing 
up  of  the  will  on  the  preceding  day  and  its  strange  disap 
pearance  in  connection  with  the  sudden  and  mysterious 
death  of  the  testator, — all  combined  to  arouse  public  in 
terest  and  curiosity  to  an  unusual  degree ;  it  seemed  the 
culmination  of  the  impenetrable  mystery  which  for  years 
had  shrouded  the  place. 

As  the  hour  for  the  inquest  approached,  the  crowd  was 
augmented  by  each  suburban  train,  until  a  throng  of  busi 
ness  men  of  all  classes,  interspersed  with  numerous  re 
porters  eager  for  the  details  of  the  affair,  covered  the 
grounds  and  even  sought  admittance  to  the  house,  for  the 
millionaire  broker,  though  a  man  of  few  intimate  friend 
ships,  was  widely  known  and  honored  in  the  financial 
and  commercial  world. 

Shortly  after  the  arrival  of  the  2.45  train  from  the  city, 
the  Mainwaring  carriage  came  rapidly  up  the  avenue,  two  or 
three  other  carriages  following  in  the  rear.  As  it  stopped, 
Mr.  Whitney  alighted,  followed  by  an  elderly  gentleman 
of  fine  appearance  and  two  officers  of  the  special  police, 
who  immediately  began  to  force  back  the  crowd,  while  the 
attorney  and  his  companion  hastily  entered  the  house  and 
4  49 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

were  met  by  the  butler,  who,  in  response  to  a  hurried  in 
quiry,  directed  them  up-stairs. 

In  the  private  library  they  found  the  detective  who  had 
been  left  there  alone  at  his  own  request.  There  was  a 
brief  interview  between  the  three,  after  which  Mr.  Whitney 
begged  his  companion  to  excuse  him  for  a  moment,  and  beck 
oning  Mr.  Merrick  into  the  tower-room,  asked  eagerly, — 

"  Well,  what  success  ?    Have  you  struck  the  trail  ?' ' 

With  an  enigmatical  smile,  the  detective  replied,  "The 
game  has  doubled  back  on  the  trail  pretty  adroitly,  but  I 
have  made  one  or  two  little  discoveries  that  may  be  of 
value  later.  What  do  you  think  of  this  ?' ' 

Opening  a  small  note-book,  he  took  therefrom  several 
pieces  of  burnt  paper,  most  of  which  were  so  blackened  that 
the  faint  traces  of  writing  which  they  bore  were  illegible.  On 
a  few  pieces,  however,  words  and  parts  of  words  could  be 
distinctly  read. 

Mr.  Whitney  studied  the  bits  of  discolored  paper  for  a 
moment,  and  then  exclaimed  in  excited  tones, — 

"Good  heavens,  man  !  it  is  the  will !  The  will  drawn 
up  in  these  rooms  yesterday  !  See,  here  is  the  date,  '  this 
seventh  day  of  July,  in  the  year  of  our' — the  rest  is  gone." 

"Here  is  part  of  a  name,"  said  the  detective,  "'nor 
Houghton  LaGra' " 

' '  Eleanor  Houghton  LaGrange  ! ' '  exclaimed  the  attor 
ney  ;  "and  below  you  can  just  trace  the  words,  'this 
amount  of  annuity  to  be'  ;  and  here  are  other  bits,  '  as  to 
my  estate  and  all  property, '  '  to  hold  the  same  forever,  to 
gether  with.'  Well,  I  should  say  these  were  of  value; 
where  did  you  find  them?" 

For  answer,  Mr.  Merrick  pointed  to  a  small  fireplace 
behind  the  safe,  near  which  a  large  screen  was  standing. 

"  Strange  !"  exclaimed  the  attorney.  "  I  never  noticed 
that  before,  much  as  I  have  been  here." 

5° 


THE   INQUEST 

"  It  escaped  my  observation  for  some  time,"  replied  the 
other.  "I  searched  the  fireplace  in  the  library,  but  this 
grate  is  very  small  and  was  concealed  by  that  large  screen, 
as  well  as  by  the  safe.  Evidently,  it  was  seldom  used,  and 
was  selected  for  that  reason  by  whoever  destroyed  the  will, 
as  more  likely  to  escape  notice." 

' '  Rather  a  bungling  piece  of  work, ' '  commented  the 
attorney,  ' '  leaving  these  partially  burned  scraps.  I  wonder 
that  he  or  she,  whoever  it  was,  did  not  make  sure  that 
they  were  entirely  consumed." 

"The  person  may  have  heard  some  sound  and,  fearing 
detection,  hastened  away  before  the  job  was  completed, ' ' 
suggested  the  other. 

"Well,  it  is  past  three,  we  must  hasten;  you  found 
nothing  more  ?' ' 

"Nothing  of  special  importance.  I  have  learned  one 
fact,  however ;  the  murder  was  never  committed  in  this 
room,  but  in  the  library. ' ' 

"  The  library  !     Why  do  you  think  that  ?' ' 

"  I  do  not  think  it,  I  know  it,  and  was  confident  of  it 
while  we  were  making  the  examination  this  morning.  Say 
nothing  about  it,  however,  for  the  present.  We  will  go 
now,  if  you  are  ready. ' ' 

Joining  the  gentleman  still  awaiting  them  in  the  library, 
they  descended  into  the  lower  hall,  where  the  detective 
suddenly  disappeared. 

Meanwhile,  the  coroner  and  members  of  the  jury,  after 
alighting  from  their  carriages,  marched  gravely  up  the  broad 
stairs  and  were  conducted  by  a  servant  into  one  of  the  pri 
vate  apartments  where  lay  the  body  of  the  murdered  man. 
Under  the  direction  of  Dr.  Westlake,  the  jury  individually 
viewed  the  wounds,  noting  their  location  and  character,  and, 
after  a  brief  visit  to  the  room  in  the  tower,  all  passed  down 
stairs  and  were  shown  into  the  large  library  on  the  first  floor. 


THAT  MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

The  coroner  occupied  a  large  arm-chair  at  one  end  of  a 
long  writing-table  in  the  centre  of  the  room,  the  jury  being 
seated  together  near  his  left,  while  on  each  side  of  the 
table  chairs  had  been  placed  for  the  accommodation  of  a 
few  of  the  more  prominent  reporters,  the  others,  less 
favored,  stationing  themselves  at  the  doorways  and  open 
windows. 

In  the  room  back  of  the  library  were  the  servants,  the 
women  grouped  about  the  great  arched  doorway  with  white, 
frightened  faces,  the  men  standing  a  little  farther  in  the 
rear,  while  in  a  dim  corner,  partially  concealed  by  the 
heavy  portieres  and  unseen  by  any  one  excepting  the  ser 
vants,  was  the  detective. 

When  everything  was  in  readiness,  Mr.  Whitney  entered 
the  room  with  the  gentleman  who  had  accompanied  him 
out  from  the  city  and  followed  by  the  London  guests.  In 
the  lead  were  Ralph  Mainwaring  and  his  son,  the  entrance 
of  the  latter  causing  a  small  stir  of  interest  and  excitement, 
as  a  score  of  pencils  at  once  began  to  rapidly  sketch  the 
features  of  the  young  Englishman,  the  intended  heir  of 
Hugh  Mainwaring.  The  young  man's  face  wore  an  expres 
sion  of  unconcern,  but  his  father's  features  were  set  and 
severe.  To  him,  the  loss  of  the  will  meant  something 
more  than  the  forfeiture  of  the  exclusive  ownership  of  a 
valuable  estate  ;  it  meant  the  overthrow  and  demolition  of 
one  of  his  pet  schemes,  cherished  for  twenty-one  years, 
just  on  the  eve  of  its  fulfilment ;  and  those  who  knew 
Ralph  Mainwaring  knew  that  to  thwart  his  plans  was  a 
dangerous  undertaking. 

Mr.  Thornton  followed,  escorting  Mrs.  Mainwaring  and 
her  daughter,  the  cold,  gray  eyes  of  Isabel  Mainwaring 
flashing  a  look  of  haughty  disdain  on  the  faces  about  her. 
Bringing  up  the  rear  was  Mrs.  Hogarth  with  her  two 
charges,  Edith  Thornton  and  Winifred  Carleton,  the  face 

52 


THE   INQUEST 

of  the  latter  lighted  with  an  intelligent,  sympathetic  interest 
in  her  surroundings. 

Harry  Scott  next  entered,  pausing  in  the  doorway  for  an 
instant,  while  just  behind  him  appeared  Mrs.  LaGrange. 
The  room  was  already  crowded,  and  Miss  Carleton,  seated 
near  the  door,  with  a  quick  glance  invited  the  young  secre 
tary  to  a  vacant  chair  by  her  side,  which  he  gracefully 
accepted,  but  not  before  a  tiny  note  had  been  thrust  into 
his  hand,  unseen  by  any  one  excepting  the  detective. 

Pale,  but  with  all  her  accustomed  hauteur,  Mrs.  La- 
Grange,  accompanied  by  her  son,  passed  slowly  around 
the  group  of  reporters,  ignoring  the  chair  offered  by  the 
attorney,  and  seated  herself  in  a  position  as  remote  as 
possible  from  the  guests  of  the  house  and  commanding  a 
full  view  of  the  servants.  Her  gown  was  noticeable  for  its 
elegance,  and  her  jewelled  hands  toyed  daintily  with  a 
superb  fan,  from  whose  waving  black  plumes  a  perfume, 
subtle  and  exquisite,  was  wafted  to  every  part  of  the  room. 

In  the  silence  that  followed,  the  coroner,  with  a  few  brief 
words,  called  for  the  first  witness,  George  Hardy.  A  young 
man,  with  a  frank  face  and  quiet,  unassuming  manner, 
stepped  forward  from  the  group  of  servants.  After  the 
usual  preliminaries,  the  coroner  inquired, — 

"  How  long  have  you  been  in  the  employ  of  Mr.  Main- 
waring  ?' ' 

' '  Nearly  four  years,  sir. ' ' 

'*  During  that  time  you  have  held  the  position  of  valet  ?' ' 

"Yes,  sir." 

"At  what  time  this  morning  did  you  discover  what  had 
occurred?" 

"About  seven  o'clock,  sir." 

' '  You  may  state  how  you  came  to  make  this  discovery, 
giving  full  particulars. ' ' 

' '  I  had  gone  as  usual  to  the  bath-room  to  prepare  the 
53 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

bath  for  Mr.  Mainwaring,  and  when  everything  was  in 
readiness  I  knocked  at  his  door  to  waken  him.  There  was 
no  answer,  and,  after  knocking  several  times,  I  unlocked 
the  door  and  looked  in.  I  saw  he  had  not  occupied  the 
room,  but  I  didn't  think  much  about  that,  and  went  on 
through  the  smoking-room  into  the  library,  and  then  I  saw 
Mr.  Mainwaring  lying  on  the  floor  in  the  next  room.  At 
first  I  thought  he  was  sick  and  went  to  him,  but  as  I  got 
nearer  I  saw  that  he  was  dead,  and  then  I  noticed  the 
revolver  lying  beside  him." 

' '  What  did  you  then  do  ?' ' 

"I  was  frightened,  sir,  and  I  went  to  call  help  as  quick 
as  I  could." 

' '  Who  was  the  first  person  whom  you  met  and  told  of 
your  discovery?" 

' '  Well,  sir,  I  went  first  for  Mr.  Whitney,  because  he  was 
a  friend  of  Mr.  Mainwaring' s  and  a  lawyer,  and  I  thought  he 
would  know  what  to  do  ;  but  on  my  way  to  his  room  I  met 
Wilson,  Mr.  Ralph  Mainwaring' s  valet,  and  I  told  him  what 
had  happened;  then  I  called  Mr.  Whitney  and  told  him 
Mr.  Mainwaring  had  shot  himself. ' ' 

''Did  you  get  the  impression  that  Mr.  Mainwaring  had 
shot  himself  from  the  fact  that  the  revolver  lay  near  his 
hand,  or  had  you  any  other  reasons  for  that  inference  ?' ' 

"No,  sir,  that  was  the  only  reason." 

' '  Can  you  state  positively  whether  this  revolver  belonged 
to  Mr.  Mainwaring?"  asked  the  coroner,  at  the  same  time 
passing  the  weapon  to  Hardy. 

"Yes,  sir,"  replied  the  latter,  promptly,  handing  it 
back  after  a  moment's  inspection,  "that  is  Mr.  Main- 
waring' s  revolver.  I've  cleaned  it  many  a  time,  and 
there's  little  marks  on  it  that  I  know  sure." 

"Very  well.  After  summoning  Mr.  Whitney,  did  you 
call  any  other  members  of  the  household  ?' ' 

54 


THE   INQUEST 

' '  Mr.  Whitney  sent  me  to  call  Mr.  Ralph  Mainwaring ; 
but  I  met  Wilson  again,  and  he  said  he  had  just  told  Mr. 
Mainwaring  and  Mr.  Thornton,  and  was  on  his  way  to  the 
room  of  young  Mr.  Mainwaring.  Down  the  hall  I  met  the 
butler  and  told  him  what  had  happened,  and  we  both  went 
into  the  library,  and  I  stayed  there  till  Mr.  Whitney  came. ' ' 

' '  When  did  you  last  see  Mr.  Hugh  Mainwaring  ?' ' 

' '  Shortly  after  dinner  last  evening,  between  seven  and 
eight  o'  clock,  I  should  say,  sir. ' ' 

"Where  was  that?" 

"In  the  main  hall  down-stairs,  sir.  He  stopped  me  to 
say  that  he  would  not  need  me  last  evening,  and  that  after 
locking  up  his  rooms  for  the  night  I  could  have  my  time  to 
myself. ' ' 

' '  Was  the  locking  of  his  rooms  usually  included  among 
your  duties  at  night  ?' ' 

' '  Yes,  sir ;  his  private  rooms  and  the  hall  on  the  south 
side. ' ' 

' '  Did  you  have  any  stated  time  for  doing  this  ?' ' 

"At  nine  o'clock,  sir." 

' '  You  locked  the  rooms  as  usual  last  night  ?' ' 

' '  Yes,  sir ;  that  is,  I  locked  them  all  right,  but  it  was 
later  than  usual." 

"How  was  that?" 

' '  About  half  an  hour  after  Mr.  Mainwaring  spoke  to  me, 
the  housekeeper  came  and  asked  me  to  keep  the  rooms 
open  till  about  ten  o'clock,  as  she  was  expecting  callers 
and  wanted  to  receive  them  by  the  south  hall  into  her 
private  parlor." 

' '  At  what  time  did  you  lock  the  rooms  ?' ' 

<CA  few  minutes  after  ten,  sir.  I  felt  kind  of  uneasy, 
because  it  was  Mr.  Mainwaring' s  orders  that  the  rooms  be 
shut  at  nine ;  so  soon  as  '  twas  ten  o'  clock  I  went  around 
outside,  and,  seeing  no  light  in  her  parlor,  I  went  in  and 

55 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

locked  the  hall  and  then  went  up -stairs  to  lock  the  rooms 
there." 

"  Did  you  see  any  strangers  about  the  place  at  that 
time  ?' ' 

"No,  sir." 

"You  saw  no  one  in  any  of  Mr.  Mainwaring's  private 
rooms  ?' ' 

' '  No  strangers,  you  mean  ?     No,  sir. ' ' 

"  Was  there  any  one  in  his  rooms?" 

"The  housekeeper  was  in  the  library.  She  had  gone 
up-stairs  that  way,  she  said,  and  had  found  the  door  into 
the  main  hall  locked,  and  hearing  me  come,  she  waited  for 
me  to  open  it." 

"  Had  you  locked  the  door  into  the  main  hall?" 

"  No,  sir ;  that  door  wasn't  usually  locked  in  the  evening. 
I  don't  know  who  locked  it,  but  I  opened  it  for  her  and 
then  locked  it  again." 

"Are  you  positive  there  was  no  one  else  in  those  rooms 
at  that  time  ?' ' 

"Yes,  sir,  pretty  sure,"  replied  Hardy,  with  a  smile, 
"for  I  looked  them  over  uncommon  thorough  last  night. 
I  thought  at  first  that  I  smelled  smoke,  like  something 
burning,  but  I  looked  around  careful  and  everything  was 
all  right." 

At  this  point  Mr.  Whitney  held  a  whispered  consultation 
with  the  coroner  for  a  moment. 

' '  You  say, ' '  continued  the  latter,  ' '  you  thought  you 
smelled  something  burning ;  could  you  state  what  the 
material  seemed  to  be  ?' ' 

"Well,  sir,  I  thought  it  was  like  paper  burning;  but  I 
must  have  been  mistaken,  for  the  papers  on  the  table  was 
all  right  and  there  was  nothing  in  the  fireplace. ' ' 

"  Did  you  see  or  hear  anything  unusual  about  the  place 
at  any  time  last  night  ?' ' 

56 


THE   INQUEST 

"No,  sir." 

For  a  moment  the  coroner  was  occupied  with  a  slip  of 
paper  which  had  been  passed  to  him  through  a  number  of 
hands  ;  then  he  said, — 

"Before  you  are  dismissed,  will  you  describe  the  locks 
jiised  on  the  doors  of  Mr.   Mainwaring's  library  and  the 
south  hall." 

' '  They  had  the  ordinary  locks,  sir ;  and  then,  in  addi 
tion,  a  small,  patent  lock,  that  when  a  certain  spring  was 
turned  the  door  locked  of  itself  and  could  not  be  opened 
from  either  side  unless  one  had  the  key  and  understood  the 
working  of  the  spring. ' ' 

"  Who  had  keys  to  fit  these  locks?" 

' '  No  one  but  Mr.  Mainwaring.  When  he  was  home 
and  wanted  the  doors  unlocked,  he  hung  the  keys  in  a 
particular  place  in  the  library  where  I  could  find  them,  and 
when  he  went  away  he  always  took  them  with  him." 

"  Did  you  unlock  the  library  doors  this  morning?" 

' '  Only  the  door  into  the  main  hall  when  I  went  to  call 
Mr.  Whitney, — that  had  nothing  but  an  ordinary  lock ;  but 
the  other  door,  into  the  south  hall,  was  unlocked  and  the 
keys  gone  when  I  first  went  into  the  library." 

"One  question  more.  Do  you  know  whether  any  one 
else  in  the  house  had  knowledge  of,  or  access  to,  these 
particular  keys?" 

' '  I  don' t  know  for  certain,  sir,  but  I  think  not. ' ' 

The  attorney  was  next  called  upon,  and  came  forward, 
while  Hardy  resumed  his  former  place  among  the  ser 
vants. 

"Mr.  Whitney,"  said  the  coroner,  after  the  witness  had 
given  the  details  of  his  arrival  in  the  tower-room  in  response 
to  the  valet's  summons,  "will  you  please  state  when,  and 
under  what  circumstances,  you  last  saw  Hugh  Mainwaring 
living. ' ' 

57 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

"At  nearly  eleven  o'clock  last  night.  Mr.  Mainwaring 
had  just  bidden  his  guests  good-night,  and  I  believe  they 
had  all  retired  to  their  rooms,  leaving  him  and  myself 
together  upon  the  veranda  in  front  of  the  house.  I  re 
mained  with  him  about  ten  minutes,  I  should  judge,  talking 
over  the  events  of  the  day  which  had  been  of  unusual 
interest.  I  remember  his  remarking  that  he  should  not 
retire  for  an  hour  or  so,  as,  to  use  his  own  expression,  his 
thoughts  would  not  let  him  sleep.  We  clasped  hands  with 
an  exchange  of  good  wishes.  That  was  the  last  I  ever  saw 
him  living  or  heard  him  speak. ' ' 

Mr.  Whitney's  voice  trembled  slightly  towards  the  close 
of  his  recital,  but  as  he  repeated  Hugh  Mainwaring' s  words 
a  smile  of  scorn  passed  over  the  face  of  Mrs.  LaGrange, 
who  was  seated  directly  opposite. 

"Will  you  please  state,"  said  the  coroner,  "how  Mr. 
Mainwaring  had  been  engaged  during  the  day,  yesterday. ' ' 

"Until  about  half-past  two  his  time  was  spent  in  the 
preparation,  with  the  assistance  of  his  secretary  and  myself, 
and  the  execution  of  his  last  will  and  testament.  The 
remainder  of  the  day  was  devoted  to  the  entertainment 
of  his  guests." 

"Will  you  give  briefly  and  in  general  terms  the  condi 
tions  of  the  will." 

"With  the  exception  of  an  annuity  to  his  housekeeper 
and  a  handsome  bequest  to  her  son,  it  conveyed  everything 
to  his  cousin  and  namesake,  Hugh  Mainwaring,  Jr.,  whom 
he  intended  to-day  to  formally  declare  his  heir. ' ' 

"Where  was  this  document  placed,  Mr.  Whitney?" 

"It  was,  at  Mr.  Mainwaring' s  request,  placed  by  his 
secretary  on  his  desk  in  the  tower-room. ' ' 

"You  can  give  no  further  information  regarding  this 
will,  now  missing  ?' ' 

"Only  this,"  replied  Mr.  Whitney,  with  marked  em- 
58 


THE   INQUEST 

phasis,    "that  we  now  have  positive  proof  that  the  will 
was  burned." 

There  was  a  general  movement  of  surprise,  both  among 
the  members  of  the  household  and  outsiders ;  and  the 
attorney,  closely  observant  of  Mrs.  LaGrange,  saw  her 
cheek,  which  but  a  moment  before,  at  his  mention  of  the 
annuity  contained  in  the  will,  had  flamed  with  anger, 
suddenly  assume  a  strange  pallor. 

"Mr.  Whitney,"  .continued  the  coroner,  having  con 
sulted  a  small  memorandum  which  he  held,  ' '  do  you  know 
whether  there  were  any  strangers  at  Fair  Oaks  yesterday  ?' ' 

' '  I  have  no  personal  knowledge  on  that  subject.  The 
secretary  informs  me  that  a  stranger  inquired  for  Mr.  Main- 
waring  in  the  afternoon,  and  remarks  were  made  at  luncheon, 
that  impressed  me  considerably,  regarding  some  one  who 
had  called  in  the  forenoon,  whether  to  see  Mr.  Mainwaring 
I  am  not  prepared  to  state. ' ' 

' '  Will  you  state  the  nature  of  those  remarks  ?' ' 

' '  I  should  prefer  to  be  excused  until  later  in  this  ex 
amination.  For  the  present,  I  will  merely  say  that  one  of 
Mr.  Mainwaring' s  guests  incidentally  met  and  recognized 
this  caller ;  that  the  latter  was  evidently  well  and  unfavor 
ably  known  by  both  Mr.  Mainwaring  and  his  guests,  and, 
if  I  am  not  mistaken,  by  the  secretary  also,  and  that  the 
mention  of  the  man's  name  seemed  to  affect  Mr.  Hugh 
Mainwaring  very  unpleasantly." 

' '  In  what  respect,  Mr.  Whitney  ?' ' 

'  <  He  grew  very  pale  and  appeared  confused,  if  not 
alarmed,  on  learning  that  the  man  was  in  this  country  and 
had  been  seen  at  this  house,  and  he  seemed  abstracted  and 
very  unlike  himself  for  fully  an  hour  after  the  occurrence. ' ' 

' '  Will  you  state  the  name  of  this  man  ?' ' 

' '  He  was  spoken  of  as  Richard  Hobson,  formerly  an 
attorney,  of  London." 

59 


CHAPTER  VII 

A  BATTLE  ROYAL 

"  HARRY  SCOTT,  private  secretary  of  Hugh  Mainwaring," 
announced  the  coroner,  when  Mr.  Whitney  had  resumed  his 
chair. 

As  the  young  secretary  walked  deliberately  through  the 
crowded  room,  there  were  few  who  failed  to  remark  his 
erect,  athletic  form,  his  splendid  bearing,  and  especially 
the  striking  beauty  of  his  dark  face,  with  its  olive  tint, 
clear-cut  features,  indicative  of  firmness  and  strength,  and 
large,  piercing  eyes,  within  whose  depths,  on  the  present 
occasion,  there  seemed  to  be,  half  hidden,  half  revealed, 
some  smouldering  fire.  Instantly  a  half-dozen  pencils  were 
transferring  to  paper  his  form  and  features. 

"Say,  what  are  you  'doing'  him  for?"  whispered  one 
reporter  to  his  neighbor.  "He  isn't  anybody;  only  the 
old  man's  secretary." 

"Can't  help  that,"  replied  the  other;  "he's  better 
looking  than  the  English  chap,  anyhow ;  and,  in  my  opin 
ion,  the  old  fellow  would  have  shown  better  sense  to  have 
left  him  the  'stuff.'  " 

Meanwhile,  young  Scott,  having  answered  a  few  pre 
liminary  interrogatories,  turned  slowly,  facing  Mrs.  La- 
Grange,  who  was  watching  him  with  an  intensity  of  manner 
and  expression  as  though  she  would  compel  him  to  meet 
her  gaze. 

As  his  glance  met  hers,  a  look  of  inquiry  flashed  from 
her  eyes  to  his,  accompanied  by  an  expression  persuasive, 
almost  appealing.  But  the  only  reply  was  an  ominous  flash 

60 


A   BATTLE   ROYAL 

from  the  dark  eyes,  as,  with  a  gesture  of  proud  disdain,  he 
folded  his  arms  and  again  faced  his  interlocutor,  while, 
with  eyes  gleaming  with  revenge  from  under  their  heavily 
drooping  lids  and  lips  that  curled  from  time  to  time  in  a 
smile  of  bitter  malignity,  she  watched  him,  listening  eagerly 
for  his  testimony,  losing  no  word  that  he  said. 

The  young  secretary  well  understood  the  character  of 
the  enemy  with  whom  he  had  thus  declared  war,  though 
he  was  as  yet  in  ignorance  of  the  weapons  she  would  use 
against  him,  but  the  honeyed  words  of  the  little  note 
crushed  within  his  pocket  had  no  power  to  swerve  him  for 
an  instant  from  the  course  upon  which  he  had  determined. 

After  a  few  general  questions,  the  coroner  said, — 

"  Please  state  when  and  what  was  the  first  intimation 
received  by  you  of  any  unusual  occurrence. ' ' 

"I  was  awakened  this  morning  by  a  woman's  scream 
and  heard  sounds  of  confused  running  in  different  direc 
tions.  A  few  moments  later  Mr.  Whitney  came  to  my 
room  and  informed  me  of  what  had  occurred,  and  I  then 
went  with  him  to  the  private  rooms  of  Mr.  Mainwaring." 

' '  You  were  associated  with  Mr.  Mainwaring  yesterday 
during  the  greater  part  of  the  day  and  evening,  were  you 
not  ?' ' 

' '  I  was  during  the  day,  but  I  did  not  see  him  after 
dinner  until  late  at  night." 

"  Did  you  notice  anything  unusual  in  his  appearance  at 
any  time  yesterday  ?' ' 

' '  He  appeared  rather  depressed  for  about  an  hour  after 
luncheon,  during  the  execution  of  the  will." 

"  Did  you  know  any  cause  for  such  depression?" 

' '  I  attributed  it,  in  my  own  mind,  to  the  conversation 
at  luncheon,  to  which  Mr.  Whitney  has  referred." 

"Regarding  one  Richard  Hobson?" 

"Yes,  sir." 

61 


THAT    MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

"Do  you  know  what,  if  any,  relations  existed  between 
Mr.  Mainwaring  and  this  Hobson  ?' ' 

The  black  plumes  of  Mrs.  LaGrange's  fan  suddenly 
quivered,  her  cheek  paled,  and  her  breath  came  and  went 
quickly,  but  these  were  the  only  signs  of  agitation  which 
she  betrayed,  as  Scott  replied, — 

' '  I  have  no  knowledge  as  to  what  relations  existed 
between  them  of  late.  I  only  know  that  Mr.  Mainwaring 
had,  years  ago,  some  important  private  business  with  this 
man." 

' '  Will  you  state  the  nature  of  this  business  ?' ' 

"Without  giving  exact  details,"  Scott  replied,  speaking 
deliberately  but  with  no  hesitation,  though  conscious  of 
the  surprise  and  indignation  depicted  on  some  of  the  faces 
about  him,  ' '  this  man  was  employed  as  an  attorney  by 
Mr.  Mainwaring  before  the  latter  came  to  this  country,  and 
has  since,  at  various  times,  extorted  money  from  him  by 
threats  of  exposure  regarding  certain  transactions. ' ' 

The  silence  that  followed  this  statement  was  of  itself 
eloquent.  The  young  secretary  felt  every  eye  fastened 
upon  himself,  and,  though  his  own  eyes  were  fixed  on  the 
coroner's  face,  he  saw  reflected  even  there  the  general 
expression  of  mingled  astonishment,  incredulity,  and  re 
sentment.  Unmoved,  however,  he  awaited,  coolly  and 
impassively,  the  next  words  of  the  coroner. 

' '  Mr.  Scott, ' '  said  Dr.  Westlake,  a  touch  of  severity  in 
his  tone,  "this  is  a  serious  assertion  to  make  regarding  a 
man  so  widely  known  as  Mr.  Mainwaring,  and  so  uni 
versally  considered  above  reproach  in  his  business  trans 
actions.  ' ' 

' '  I  am  aware  of  that  fact,  sir, ' '  replied  Scott,  calmly, 
"but  reference  to  the  private  letter-files  of  Mr.  Mainwaring 
will  prove  the  truth  of  my  assertion.  I  made  this  statement 
simply  because  the  time  and  place  demanded  it.  You  were 

62 


A   BATTLE   ROYAL 

endeavoring  to  ascertain  the  cause  of  Mr.  Mainwaring's 
perturbation  on  learning  yesterday  of  the  arrival  of  Hobson. 
I  have  given  what  I  consider  the  clue." 

"  How  recently  had  this  man  Hobson  extorted  money 
from  Mr.  Mainwaring,  and  in  what  amount  ?' ' 

' '  The  last  money  sent  him  was  about  three  years  ago,  a 
sum  of  five  thousand  dollars.  Hobson  wrote  a  most  inso 
lent  letter  of  acknowledgment,  stating  that,  as  this  money 
would  set  him  on  his  feet  for  a  time,  he  would  not  write 
again  immediately,  but  assuring  Mr.  Mainwaring  that  he 
would  never  be  able  to  elude  him,  as  the  writer  would  keep 
posted  regarding  his  whereabouts,  and  might,  some  time  in 
the  future,  call  upon  him  in  person. ' ' 

"  Can  you  describe  this  man's  appearance?" 

"  I  cannot,  having  never  met  him." 

' '  Will  you  describe  the  stranger  who  is  reported  to  have 
called  in  the  afternoon. ' ' 

"  He  was  tall,  quite  pale,  with  dark  hair  and  moustache. 
He  was  dressed  in  a  tweed  suit,  somewhat  travel-worn,  and 
wore  dark  glasses." 

' '  Did  he  state  his  errand  ?' ' 

"Only  that  he  wished  to  see  Mr.  Mainwaring  on  busi 
ness  of  special  importance.  He  at  first  seemed  rather 
insistent,  but,  on  learning  that  Mr.  Mainwaring  was  out  and 
that  he  would  receive  no  business  calls  for  a  day  or  two,  he 
readily  consented  to  defer  his  interview  until  later. ' ' 

"  Did  he  leave  his  name  or  address?" 

"  His  card  bore  the  name  of  J.  Henry  Carruthers,  of  Lon 
don.  He  gave  his  present  address  as  the  Arlington  House. ' ' 

"You  noticed  nothing  unusual  in  his  appearance?" 

' '  The  only  thing  that  struck  me  as  rather  peculiar  was 
that  Mr.  Carruthers  seemed  well  informed  regarding  events 
expected  to  take  place  here,  while  his  name  was  wholly 
unfamiliar  to  Mr.  Mainwaring. ' ' 

63 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

At  this  point  a  pencilled  note  was  handed  by  the  coroner 
to  Mr.  Whitney,  who  immediately  summoned  George  Hardy 
and  hastily  despatched  him  on  some  errand. 

"Mr.  Scott,"  resumed  the  coroner,  "were  you  in  Mr. 
Mainwaring's  private  library  at  any  time  during  last  even 
ing?" 

"  I  was  not.    I  spent  the  entire  evening  in  my  own  room." 

"When  did  you  again  see  Mr.  Mainwaring?" 

"Not  until  after  eleven  o'clock.  I  had  come  down  for 
a  smoke  in  the  grounds  outside  and  met  Mr.  Mainwaring 
in  the  lower  hall  on  the  way  to  his  rooms.  He  asked  me 
to  come  to  his  library  before  retiring,  as  he  wished  to  give 
some  final  directions  for  the  next  day.  About  half  an  hour 
later  I  went  to  the  library  door,  but  hearing  loud  and 
angry  talk  within,  I  waited  in  the  hall  some  fifteen  or 
twenty  minutes  until  I  knew  Mr.  Mainwaring  was  alone. 
I  then  entered,  received  his  instructions,  and  went  directly 
to  my  room  for  the  night." 

"Were  you  able  to  recognize  the  voices  or  hear  any  of 
the  conversation?" 

"I  was.  I  recognized  the  voice  of  the  housekeeper, 
Mrs.  LaGrange ;  but  feeling  that  I  was  hearing  what  was 
not  intended  for  me,  I  walked  back  into  the  main  hall  and 
remained  there  until  Mrs.  LaGrange  came  out." 

"  You  saw  her  leave  the  library?" 

"Yes,  sir;  I  passed  her  in  the  corridor." 

"  She  saw  you,  of  course?" 

' '  She  seemed  scarcely  conscious  of  my  presence  until 
we  had  passed;  she  then  turned  and  watched  me  as  I 
entered  the  library." 

"What  was  the  nature  of  the  conversation  which  you 
heard?" 

"I  only  heard  what  Mrs.  LaGrange  said.  She  evi 
dently  was  very  angry  with  Mr.  Mainwaring. ' ' 

64 


A  BATTLE  ROYAL 

' '  Can  you  repeat  her  words  as  you  heard  them  ?' ' 

"Not  entirely.  She  accused  Mr.  Mainwaring  of  dis 
honesty,  saying  that  he  had  defrauded  his  only  brother,  and 
had  ignored  and  robbed  his  own  son  to  put  a  stranger  in 
his  place.  The  last  words  I  heard  were,  '  You  are  in  my 
power,  and  you  know  it  only  too  well ;  and  I  will  make  you 
and  your  high-born,  purse-proud  family  rue  this  day's 
work.'  " 

Harry  Scott,  with  the  proof  of  his  employer's  crimes  in 
his  possession,  repeated  these  words  with  an  indifference 
and  impassiveness  that  seemed  unnatural,  while  the  smoul 
dering  fire  in  his  eyes  gleamed  fitfully,  as  though  he  knew 
some  secret  of  which  the  others  little  dreamed. 

But,  if  spoken  indifferently,  the  words  were  not  received 
with  indifference.  The  reporters  bent  to  their  task  with 
renewed  ardor,  since  it  promised  developments  so  rich 
and  racy.  Ralph  Mainwaring' s  face  was  dark  with  sup 
pressed  wrath  ;  Mr.  Thornton  seemed  hardly  able  to  restrain 
himself;  while  the  attorney  grew  pale  with  excitement  and 
anger.  Mrs.  LaGrange  alone  remained  unmoved,  as  much 
so  as  the  witness  himself,  her  eyes  half  closed  and  a  cynical 
smile  playing  about  her  lips  as  she  listened  to  the  repetition 
of  her  own  words. 

"Did  Mr.  Mainwaring  make  no  reply?"  inquired  the 
coroner. 

"  He  did,  but  it  was  inaudible  to  me." 

' '  You  went  into  the  library  as  soon  as  he  was  alone  ?' ' 

"I  did." 

"  At  what  hour  was  this?" 

"A  few  minutes  past  twelve." 

"  Was  that  the  last  time  you  saw  Mr.  Mainwaring  living  ?' ' 

"It  was." 

"  Can  you  state  whether  any  one  was  in  his  rooms  after 
you  left  ?' ' 

s  65 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

"I  cannot." 

' '  Mr.  Scott,  by  your  own  statement,  you  must  have 
been  in  Mr.  Mainwaring's  library  within  an  hour  preceding 
his  death ;  consequently,  I  would  like  you  to  give  every 
detail  of  that  interview." 

"I  am  perfectly  willing,  sir,  but  there  are  few  to  give. 
The  interview  occupied  possibly  ten  minutes.  Mr.  Main- 
waring  appeared  very  weary,  and,  after  giving  directions 
regarding  any  personal  mail  or  telegrams  which  might  be 
received,  stated  that  he  wished  me  to  consider  myself  his 
guest  on  the  following  day  and  join  in  the  festivities  of  the 
occasion.  I  thanked  him,  and,  wishing  him  good-night, 
withdrew. ' ' 

"In  which  room  were  you?" 

"We  were  both  in  the  library.  When  I  first  entered, 
Mr.  Mainwaring  was  walking  back  and  forth,  his  hands 
folded  behind  him,  as  was  usually  his  habit  when  thinking 
deeply,  but  he  immediately  seated  himself  and  gave  me  my 
instructions.  The  tower-room  was  dimly  lighted  and  the 
curtains  were  drawn  quite  closely  together  at  the  entrance. ' ' 

"Did  you  hear  any  unusual  sound  after  reaching  your 
room  ?' ' 

"Not  at  that  time.  I  was  aroused  about  three  o'clock 
this  morning  by  what  I  thought  was  a  stealthy  step  in  the 
grounds  in  the  rear  of  the  house,  but  I  listened  for  a 
moment  and  heard  nothing  more. ' ' 

"That  will  do  for  the  present,  Mr.  Scott.  You  will 
probably  be  recalled  later,"  said  the  coroner,  watching 
the  secretary  rather  curiously.  Then  he  added,  in  a 
different  tone, — 

"The  next  witness  is  Mrs.  LaG range." 

There  was  a  perceptible  stir  throughout  the  crowd  as, 
with  a  movement  of  inimitable  grace,  Mrs.  LaGrange 
stepped  forward,  darting  a  swift  glance  of  such  venomous 

66 


A  BATTLE  ROYAL 

hatred  towards  Scott,  as  he  again  seated  himself  beside 
Miss  Carleton,  that  the  latter,  with  a  woman's  quick 
intuition,  instantly  grasped  the  situation  and  watched  the 
proceedings  with  new  interest  and  closer  attention. 

As  Mrs.  LaGrange  took  her  place  and  began  answering 
the  questions  addressed  to  her,  the  eager  listeners  pressed 
still  more  closely  in  their  efforts  to  catch  every  word,  feel 
ing  instinctively  that  some  startling  developments  would  be 
forthcoming ;  but  no  one  was  prepared  for  the  shock  that 
followed  when,  in  response  to  the  request  to  state  her  full 
name,  the  reply  came,  in  clear  tones,  with  unequivocal 
distinctness, — 

"Eleanor  Houghton  Mainwaring. " 

For  an  instant  an  almost  painful  silence  ensued,  until 
Dr.  Westlake  said, — 

' '  Will  you  state  your  relation  to  the  deceased  ?' ' 

"I  was  the  lawfully  wedded,  but  unacknowledged,  wife 
of  Hugh  Mainwaring,"  was  the  calm  reply. 

"  Please  state  when  and  where  your  marriage  took  place," 
said  the  coroner,  watching  the  witness  narrowly. 

' '  We  were  married  privately  in  London,  about  three 
months  before  Mr.  Mainwaring  came  to  this  country." 

' '  How  long  ago  was  that  ?' ' 

"  A  little  more  than  twenty -three  years." 

"You  say  that  you  were  privately  married,  and  that  in 
all  these  years  Mr.  Mainwaring  never  acknowledged  you  as 
his  wife?" 

"Yes.  I  was  at  that  time  a  widow,  and,  owing  to 
certain  unpleasant  circumstances  attending  the  last  months 
of  my  former  husband's  life,  Mr.  Mainwaring  insisted  that 
our  marriage  be  strictly  private.  I  acceded  to  his  wishes, 
and  we  were  married  as  quietly  as  possible.  At  the  end 
of  three  months  he  deserted  me,  and  for  four  years  I  did 
not  even  know  where  he  had  gone.  During  that  time, 

67 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

however,  I  learned  that  my  husband,  who  had  been  fearful 
of  soiling  his  proud  name  by  having  it  publicly  joined  with 
mine,  was,  in  the  sight  of  the  law,  a  common  criminal. 
I  finally  traced  him  to  America,  and  five  years  after  he 
deserted  me  I  had  the  pleasure  of  confronting  him  with 
the  facts  which  I  had  obtained.  With  passionate  protesta 
tions  of  renewed  love  and  fair  promises  of  an  honorable 
married  life,  he  sought  to  purchase  my  silence,  and,  fool 
that  I  was  !  I  yielded.  He  claimed  that  he  could  not  at 
once  acknowledge  me  as  his  wife,  because  he  was  already 
known  as  an  unmarried  man,  but  in  the  near  future  we 
would  repeat  the  marriage  ceremony  and  I  should  be  the 
honored  mistress  of  his  heart  and  home.  I  believed  him 
and  waited.  Meantime,  our  child  was  born,  and  then  a  new 
role  had  to  be  adopted.  Had  he  not  known  that  he  was 
in  my  power,  I  would  then  have  been  thrust  out  homeless 
with  my  babe,  but  he  dared  not  do  that.  Instead,  I  was 
brought  to  Fair  Oaks  dressed  in  widow's  garb,  as  a  distant 
relative  of  his  who  was  to  be  his  housekeeper.  So,  for  my 
son's  sake,  hoping  he  would  some  day  receive  his  rights, 
I  have  lived  a  double  life,  regarded  as  a  servant  where  I 
should  have  been  mistress,  and  holding  that  poor  position 
only  because  it  was  within  my  power  to  put  the  master  of 
the  house  in  a  felon's  cell !" 

"Can  you  produce  the  certificate  of  this  marriage?" 
inquired  the  coroner,  regarding  the  witness  with  a  searching 
glance  as  she  paused  in  her  recital. 

"Unfortunately,"  she  replied,  in  a  tone  ringing  with 
scorn  and  defiance,  ' '  I  cannot  produce  our  marriage  cer 
tificate,  as  my  husband  kept  that  in  his  possession,  and 
frequently  threatened  to  destroy  it.  If  it  is  in  existence, 
it  will  be  found  in  his  safe ;  but  I  can  produce  a  witness 
who  was  present  at  our  marriage,  and  who  himself  signed 
the  certificate." 

68 


A   BATTLE   ROYAL 

' '  State  the  name  of  this  witness. ' ' 

"Richard  Hobson,  of  London." 

"You  are  then  acquainted  with  this  Hobson?"  the 
coroner  inquired,  at  the  same  time  making  an  entry  in 
the  memorandum  he  held. 

"Naturally,  as  he  was  at  one  time  my  husband's  at 
torney.  ' ' 

"  He  called  at  Fair  Oaks  yesterday,  did  he  not?" 

"He  did." 

"  Do  you  know  whether  he  called  more  than  once?" 

"He  came  a  second  time,  in  the  evening,  accompanied 
by  his  clerk." 

' '  Was  his  object  at  either  time  to  secure  an  interview 
with  Mr.  Mainwaring?" 

"  He  called  to  see  me  on  private  business." 

' '  Had  he  any  intention  of  meeting  Mr.  Mainwaring 
later?" 

"I  know  nothing  regarding  his  intentions." 

"Mrs.  LaGrange,"  said  the  coroner,  after  a  pause, 
"  you  were  in  Mr.  Mainwaring' s  library  between  the  hours 
of  eleven  and  twelve  last  night,  were  you  not?" 

Her  face  darkened  with  anger  at  his  form  of  address. 
"  I  was  in  my  husband's  library  at  that  hour,"  she  replied. 

"  How  long  were  you  there?" 

"I  cannot  state  exactly,"  she  answered,  indifferently; 
' '  perhaps  half  an  hour. ' ' 

"  Did  Mr.  Scott  repeat  correctly  your  words  to  Mr. 
Mainwaring  ?' ' 

"I  have  no  doubt  that  he  did.  His  memory  on  the 
subject  is  much  better  than  mine." 

"What  was  the  meaning  of  your  threat  to  Mr.  Main- 
waring,  that  you  would  make  him  and  his  friends  regret 
the  day's  proceedings?" 

' '  He  understood  my  meaning.  He  knew  that  I  could 
69 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

set  aside  the  will,  and  could  ruin  him  by  exposing  his 
duplicity  and  fraud." 

"  What  reply  did  he  make  ?' ' 

' '  He  answered  me,  as  usual,  with  sneers ;  but  I  saw 
that  he  felt  somewhat  apprehensive.  I  wished  to  give  him 
a  little  time  to  reflect  upon  a  proposition  I  had  made,  and 
I  left  the  library,  intending  to  return  later;  but,"  she 
added,  slowly  and  significantly,  ' '  I  was  superseded  by 
another  visitor. ' ' 

"Explain  your  meaning,"  said  the  coroner,  briefly. 

"My  husband's  private  secretary  entered  the  library 
directly  after  I  left.  Some  thirty  minutes  later  I  passed 
down  the  corridor  towards  the  library,  and  was  startled  to 
hear  Mr.  Mainwaring,  in  loud  and  excited  tones,  de 
nouncing  some  one  as  a  liar  and  an  impostor.  The  reply 
was  low,  in  a  voice  trembling  with  rage,  but  I  caught  the 
words,  'You  are  a  liar  and  a  thief!  If  you  had  your 
deserts,  you  would  be  in  a  felon's  cell  to-night,  or  trans 
ported  to  the  wilds  of  Australia  ! '  There  was  much  more 
in  the  same  tone,  but  so  low  I  could  not  distinguish  the 
words,  and,  thinking  Mr.  Mainwaring  was  likely  to  be 
occupied  for  some  time,  I  immediately  retired  to  my 
room." 

' '  Was  the  voice  of  the  second  speaker  familiar  to  you  ?' ' 
inquired  Dr.  Westlake,  in  the  breathless  silence  that  fol 
lowed  this  statement. 

A  half  smile,  both  cunning  and  cruel,  played  around 
the  lips  of  the  witness,  as  she  answered,  with  peculiar 
emphasis  and  with  a  ring  of  triumph  in  her  tone, — 

' '  The  voice  was  somewhat  disguised,  but  it  was  distinctly 
recognizable  as  that  of  Mr.  Scott,  the  private  secretary. ' ' 

To  Scott  himself,  these  words  came  with  stunning  force, 
not  so  much  for  the  accusation  which  they  conveyed,  as 
that  her  recital  of  those  words  spoken  within  the  library 

70 


A  BATTLE  ROYAL 

seemed  but  the  repetition  of  words  which  had  rung  in  his 
brain  the  preceding  night,  as,  alone  in  his  room,  he  had, 
in  imagination,  confronted  his  employer  with  the  proof  of 
his  guilt  which  that  afternoon's  search  had  brought  to  light. 
His  fancy  had  vividly  portrayed  the  scene  in  which  he 
would  arraign  Hugh  Mainwaring  as  a  thief,  and  would 
himself,  in  turn,  be  denounced  as  an  impostor  until  he 
should  have  established  his  claims  by  the  indubitable  evi 
dence  now  in  his  possession.  Such  a  scene  had  in  reality 
been  enacted, — those  very  words  had  been  spoken, — and, 
for  an  instant,  it  seemed  to  Scott  as  though  he  had  been, 
unconsciously,  one  of  the  actors. 

The  general  wonder  and  consternation  with  which  he 
was  now  regarded  by  the  crowd  quickly  recalled  him, 
however,  to  the  present  situation,  and  awakened  within 
him  a  sudden,  fierce  resentment,  though  he  remained  out 
wardly  calm. 

"At  that  time,"  continued  the  coroner,  "were  you  of 
the  opinion  that  it  was  Mr.  Scott  whom  you  heard  thus 
addressing  Mr.  Mainwaring?" 

"Yes,  I  had  every  reason  to  believe  it  was  he,  and  I 
have  now  additional  reasons  for  the  same  belief. ' ' 

"Are  these  additional  reasons  founded  on  your  own 
personal  knowledge,  or  on  the  information  of  others?" 

"Upon  information  received  from  various  members  of 
the  household." 

' '  Did  you  see  Mr.  Scott  leave  the  library  ?' ' 

"I  did  not." 

' '  Can  you  state  about  what  time  you  heard  this  con 
versation  ?' ' 

"  I  went  immediately  to  my  room,  and  there  found  that 
it  lacked  only  ten  minutes  of  one." 

"  Did  you  hear  any  unusual  sound  afterwards?" 

"I  did  not.     I  heard  no  one  in  the  halls;  and  Mr. 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

Mainwaring's  apartments  were  so  remote  from  the  general 
sleeping-rooms  that  no  sound  from  there,  unless  very  loud, 
could  have  reached  the  other  occupants  of  the  house. ' ' 

Further  questions  failed  to  develop  any  evidence  of 
importance,  and  the  witness  was  temporarily  dismissed. 
Glancing  at  his  watch,  the  coroner  remarked, — 

"It  is  nearly  time  to  adjourn,  but  if  Mr.  Hardy  has 
returned  we  will  first  hear  what  he  has  to  report. ' ' 

As  the  valet  again  came  forward,  Dr.  Westlake  asked, 
"  Were  you  able  to  learn  anything  concerning  the  strangers 
who  were  here  yesterday?" 

"Not  very  much,  sir,"  was  the  reply.  "  I  went  to  the 
Arlington  first  and  inquired  for  Mr.  J.  Henry  Carruthers, 
and  they  told  me  there  was  no  such  person  registered  there ; 
but  they  said  a  man  answering  that  description,  tall  and 
wearing  dark  glassess,  came  into  the  hotel  last  evening  and 
took  dinner  and  sat  for  an  hour  or  so  in  the  office  reading 
the  evening  papers.  He  went  out  some  time  between 
seven  and  eight  o'clock,  and  they  had  seen  nothing  more 
of  him." 

"  Was  Richard  Hobson  at  the  Arlington?" 

"No,  sir;  but  I  went  to  the  Riverside,  and  found 
R.  Hobson  registered  there.  They  said  he  came  in  in  the 
forenoon  and  ordered  a  carriage  for  Fair  Oaks.  He  came 
back  to  lunch,  but  kept  his  room  all  the  afternoon.  He 
had  a  man  with  him  in  his  room  most  of  the  afternoon, 
but  he  took  no  meals  there.  After  dinner  Hobson  went 
out,  and  nobody  knew  when  he  came  back ;  but  he  was 
there  to  breakfast,  and  took  the  first  train  to  the  city. 
I  made  some  inquiries  at  the  depot,  and  the  agent  said 
there  was  a  tall  man,  in  a  gray  ulster  and  with  dark 
glasses,  who  took  the  3.10  train  this  morning  to  the  city, 
but  he  didn't  notice  him  particularly.  That  was  all  I  could 
learn." 

72 


A  BATTLE   ROYAL 

As  the  hour  was  late,  the  inquest  was  then  adjourned 
until  ten  o'clock  the  next  morning.  Every  one  connected 
with  the  household  at  Fair  Oaks  was  expected  to  remain 
on  the  premises  that  night ;  and,  dinner  over,  the  gentle 
men,  including  Mr.  Whitney,  locked  themselves  within 
the  large  library  to  discuss  the  inevitable  contest  that 
would  arise  over  the  estate  and  to  devise  how,  with  the 
least  possible  delay,  to  secure  possession  of  the  pro 
perty. 

Later  in  the  evening  Harry  Scott  came  down  from  his 
room  for  a  brief  stroll  through  the  grounds.  A  bitter 
smile  crossed  his  face  as  he  noticed  the  brightly  illumined 
library  and  heard  the  eager,  excited  tones  within,  re 
membering  the  dimly-lighted  room  above  with  its  silent 
occupant,  unloved,  unmourned,  unthought  of,  in  marked 
contrast  to  the  preceding  night,  when  Hugh  Mainwaring 
lavished  upon  his  guests  such  royal  entertainment  and  was 
the  recipient  of  their  congratulations  and  their  professions 
of  esteem  and  regard. 

As  he  paced  slowly  up  and  down  the  avenues,  his 
thoughts  were  not  of  the  present,  but  of  the  past  and 
future.  At  the  earliest  opportunity  that  day  he  had  re 
turned  to  the  city,  ostensibly,  to  attend  to  some  telegraphic 
despatches,  but  his  main  errand  had  been  to  consult  with 
an  eminent  lawyer  whom  he  knew  by  reputation,  and  in 
whom  both  Hugh  Mainwaring  and  Mr.  Whitney,  in  nu 
merous  legal  contests,  had  found  a  powerful  and  bitter 
opponent.  To  him  Scott  had  intrusted  his  own  case, 
giving  him  the  fullest  details,  and  leaving  in  his  possession 
for  safe  keeping  the  proofs  which  were  soon  to  play  so 
important  a  part ;  and  Mr.  Sutherland,  the  attorney  re 
tained  by  Scott,  had  been  present  at  the  inquest,  apparently 
as  a  disinterested  spectator,  but,  in  reality,  one  of  the  most 
intensely  interested  of  them  all. 

73 


CHAPTER    VIII 

THE    WEAVING    OF    THE    WEB 

TEN  o'clock  found  an  eager  crowd  assembled  in  and 
about  the  large  library  at  Fair  Oaks,  drawn  by  reports  of 
the  sensational  features  developed  on  the  preceding  day. 
The  members  of  the  household  occupied  nearly  the  same 
positions  as  on  the  preceding  afternoon,  with  the  exception 
of  the  secretary,  who  had  entered  the  room  a  little  in 
advance  of  the  others  and  had  seated  himself  near  the 
coroner. 

Notwithstanding  the  glances  of  doubt  and  distrust  which 
Scott  encountered,  and  his  own  consciousness  that  suspicion 
against  himself  would  deepen  as  all  the  facts  in  the  case 
became  known,  he  was  as  impassive  as  ever.  Even  Mr. 
Whitney  was  wholly  at  a  loss  to  account  for  the  change 
in  the  bearing  of  the  secretary.  He  was  no  longer  the 
employee,  but  carried  himself  with  a  proud  independence, 
as  though  conscious  of  some  mysterious  vantage-ground. 

On  the  other  side  of  the  coroner,  but  conveniently  near 
Scott,  was  Mr.  Sutherland,  while  in  the  rear,  commanding 
a  good  view  of  both  gentlemen,  as  well  as  of  nearly  every 
face  in  the  room,  sat  Mr.  Merrick,  though  to  a  stranger 
his  manner  would  have  implied  the  utmost  indifference  to 
the  proceedings. 

The  first  witness  called  for  by  the  coroner  was  Johnson, 
the  butler.  For  the  first  five  or  ten  minutes  his  testimony 
was  little  more  than  a  corroboration  of  that  given  by  the 
valet  on  the  preceding  day,  of  the  discovery  of  the  death 
of  Hugh  Mainwaring. 

74 


THE  WEAVING   OF  THE  WEB 

"You  say,"  said  the  coroner,  "that  at  Mr.  Whitney's 
request  you  remained  in  the  upper  hall,  near  the  library 
and  within  call  ?' ' 

"Yes,  sir." 

' '  Will  you  state  how  long  a  time  you  should  think 
elapsed  between  the  alarm  given  by  Hardy  and  the  ap 
pearance  of  the  entire  household,  including  both  the  guests 
and  the  servants?" 

"Well,  sir,  Hardy  gave  the  alarm  a  little  after  seven. 
The  servants  were  already  up  and  crowded  around  there 
immediately,  and  I  should  say  that  every  one,  including 
the  ladies,  was  out  within  twenty  minutes,  or  thirty  at  the 
latest,  with  the  exception  of  Mrs.  LaGrange  and  her  son. ' ' 

' '  At  what  time  did  the  latter  appear  ?' ' 

"It  must  have  been  considerably  after  eight  o'clock, 
sir,  when  she  came  to  the  library  in  response  to  a  message 
from  Mr.  Whitney. ' ' 

"And  her  son?" 

"I  did  not  see  Mr.  Walter  LaGrange  at  all  during  the 
forenoon,  sir." 

"  How  was  that?"  inquired  Dr.  Westlake,  rather  quickly. 
"  Was  he  not  at  Fair  Oaks  ?' ' 

"  I  cannot  say,  sir.     I  did  not  see  him  until  luncheon." 

"When  did  you  last  see  Mr.  Mainwaring?" 

"A  little  after  eleven  o'clock  night  before  last, — Wed 
nesday  night, — sir.  I  was  in  the  hall  as  he  passed  up 
stairs  to  his  rooms,  and  I  heard  him  ask  Mr.  Scott  to  come 
to  his  library. ' ' 

"Did  there  seem  to  be  any  coldness  or  unpleasantness 
between  them  ? 

"  No,  sir;  they  both  appeared  the  same  as  usual." 

' '  Did  any  strangers  call  at  Fair  Oaks  Wednesday  aside 
from  those  mentioned  yesterday  ?' ' 

"No,  sir." 

75 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

"Will  you  describe  the  strangers  who  were  here,  stating 
when  they  called  and  any  particulars  you  are  able  to  give  ?" 

"  The  man  giving  his  name  as  R.  Hobson  called  between 
eleven  and  twelve,  Wednesday  morning.  He  was  tall, 
with  thin  features,  small,  dark  eyes,  and  a  very  soft  voice. 
He  came  in  a  carriage,  inquired  for  Mrs.  LaGrange,  and 
seemed  in  considerable  haste.  He  stayed  about  an  hour. 
The  gentleman  who  called  about  four  in  the  afternoon  also 
came  in  a  carriage  and  inquired  for  Mr.  Mainwaring, 
saying  he  had  been  directed  to  Fair  Oaks  at  the  city  offices 
of  Mainwaring  &  Co.  On  learning  that  Mr.  Mainwaring 
was  out,  he  asked  for  the  secretary ;  and  I  took  his  card  to 
Mr.  Scott,  who  gave  directions  to  have  him  shown  up  into 
the  library.  I  do  not  know  when  he  left.  He  was  tall, 
with  black  hair  and  moustache  and  dark  glasses. ' ' 

"Mr.  Hobson' s  call  occasioned  considerable  comment 
at  luncheon,  did  it  not  ?' ' 

"Yes,  sir." 

"Did  you  observe  that  it  had  any  effect  on  Mr.  Main- 
waring?" 

"  Well,  sir,  I  thought  he  appeared  considerably  annoyed, 
and  after  luncheon  he  asked  me  whether  Mr.  Hobson  had 
inquired  for  him. ' ' 

"  Did  you  admit  Hobson  when  he  called  in  the  even 
ing?" 

"  I  did  not,  sir.  I  merely  met  him  at  the  door  and 
directed  him  to  the  south  side  entrance." 

"At  Mrs.  LaG range's  request?" 

"Yes,  sir;  in  accordance  with  her  instructions." 

"  Did  she  give  any  reason  for  such  instructions?" 

' '  Merely  that  his  former  call  had  caused  so  much  remark 
she  wished  to  receive  him  privately." 

"Was  he  alone  when  he  called  the  second  time?" 

"No,  sir." 

76 


THE   WEAVING   OF   THE   WEB 

"  Can  you  describe  the  person  who  accompanied  him?" 

"No,  sir.  The  man  stood  so  far  in  the  shadow  that  I 
could  only  see  the  outlines  of  his  form.  I  should  say  he 
was  about  the  same  height  as  Mr.  Hobson,  but  considerably 
heavier. ' ' 

"  Do  you  know  at  what  hour  they  left?" 

"No,  sir." 

Further  questions  failing  to  elicit  any  facts  bearing  upon 
the  situation,  the  butler  was  dismissed,  and  Brown,  the 
coachman,  took  his  place.  The  latter  was  far  less  taciturn 
than  the  butler,  seeming  rather  eager  to  impart  some  piece 
of  information  which  he  evidently  considered  of  special 
importance. 

After  a  few  preliminary  questions,  the  coroner  said, — 

"At  what  time,  and  from  whom,  did  you  first  hear  of 
Mr.  Mai nwaring's  death?" 

"About  half- past  seven,  yesterday  morning,  sir.  I  was 
a-taking  care  of  the  horses,  sir,  when  Uncle  Mose — he's 
the  gardener,  sir — he  comes  past  the  stable  on  his  way 
to  the  tool-house,  and  he  tells  me  that  Mr.  Mainwaring 
had  been  murdered  in  the  night,  right  in  his  own  rooms, 
and  then  he  tells  me " 

"  How  long  had  you  been  up  and  at  work  in  the 
stables?" 

' '  Before  I  heard  of  the  murder  ?  Well,  about  an  hour, 
I  should  say.  I  generally  gets  up  at  six. ' ' 

"  Had  you  been  to  the  house  that  morning?" 

"No,  sir;  but  I  went  right  up  there  after  seeing  Uncle 
Mose,  and  I  was  in  the  kitchen  telling  what  I  had  seen  the 
night  before,  when  the  butler  he  comes  down  and  said  as  how 
Mr.  Ralph  Mainwaring  wanted  me,  and  that  I  had  better 
keep  my  mouth  shut  till  I  was  asked  to  tell  what  I  knew. ' ' 

"Where  were  you  last  Wednesday  night?"  asked  the 
coroner,  rather  abruptly. 

77 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

Brown  looked  surprised,  but  answered  readily,  "I  was 
out  with  some  friends  of  mine.  We  all  went  down  to  the 
city  together  that  night  and  stayed  out  pretty  late,  and  it 
seems  a  mighty  good  thing  we  did,  too." 

"Why  so?"  asked  the  coroner. 

"Well,  sir,"  said  Brown,  deliberately,  glad  of  an  op 
portunity  to  tell  his  story  and  evidently  determined  to 
make  the  most  of  it,  "as  I  said,  we  stayed  out  that  night 
later  than  we  meant  to,  and  I  didn't  waste  no  time  getting 
home  after  I  left  the  depot.  So,  when  I  got  to  Fair  Oaks, 
I  thought  I'd  take  the  shortest  cut,  and  so  I  come  in  by 
the  south  gate,  off  from  the  side  street,  and  took  the  path 
around  the  lake  to  get  to  the  stables. ' ' 

"  What  lake  do  you  mean?"  interrupted  the  coroner. 

"  The  small  lake  back  of  the  grove  in  the  south  part  of 
the  grounds.  Well,  I  was  hurrying  along  through  that 
grove,  and  all  of  a  sudden  I  seen  a  man  standing  on  the 
edge  of  the  lake  with  his  back  towards  me.  He  was  very 
tall,  and  wore  an  ulster  that  came  nearly  to  his  feet,  and 
he  looked  so  queer  that  I  stepped  out  of  the  path  and 
behind  some  big  trees  to  watch  him.  I  hadn't  no  more 
than  done  so,  when  he  stooped  and  picked  up  something, 
and  come  right  up  the  path  towards  me.  The  moon  was 
shining,  had  been  up  about  two  hours,  I  should  say,  but 
his  back  was  to  the  light  and  I  couldn't  see  his  face,  nor  I 
didn't  want  him  to  see  me.  After  he'd  got  by  I  stepped  out 
to  watch  him  and  see  if  he  went  towards  the  house,  but  he 
didn't;  he  took  the  path  I  had  just  left  and  walked  very 
fast  to  the  south  gate  and  went  out  onto  the  side  street. ' ' 

"In  which  direction  did  he  then  go?"  asked  the  coro 
ner. 

"  He  went  up  onto  the  main  avenue  and  turned  towards 
the  town." 

"  Can  you  describe  his  appearance?" 
78 


THE   WEAVING    OF   THE   WEB 

"  Only  that  he  was  tall  and  had  very  black  hair ;  but  his 
face  was  in  the  shadow,  so  I  couldn't  tell  how  he  looked." 

"What  did  he  pick  up  from  the  ground?" 

"I  couldn't  see  very  plain,  but  it  looked  like  a  small, 
square  box  done  up  in  paper. ' ' 

' '  You  did  not  try  to  call  any  one  ?' ' 

"No,  sir.  The  man  didn't  go  near  the  house,  and  I 
didn't  think  much  about  it  until  Uncle  Mose  told  me 
yesterday  morning  that  the  night  before  he  seen " 

' '  Never  mind  what  he  saw ;  we  will  let  him  tell  his  own 
story.  Was  that  all  you  saw  ?' ' 

"No,  sir;  it  wasn't,"  replied  Brown,  with  a  quick  side 
glance  towards  Mrs.  LaGrange,  who  occupied  the  same 
position  as  on  the  preceding  day.  "I  was  going  along 
towards  the  stables,  thinking  about  that  man,  and  all  of  a 
sudden  I  noticed  there  was  a  bright  light  in  one  of  the 
rooms  up-stairs.  The  curtains  wasn't  drawn,  and  I  thought 
I'd  see  whose  room  it  was,  so  I  walked  up  towards  the 
house  carefully,  and  I  saw  Mr.  Mainwaring's  secretary.  He 
looked  awfully  pale  and  haggard,  and  was  walking  up  and 
down  the  room  kind  of  excited  like.  Just  then  I  happened 
to  step  on  the  gravelled  walk  and  he  heard  me,  for  he 
started  and  looked  kind  of  frightened  and  listened  a  mo 
ment,  and  then  he  stepped  up  quick  and  extinguished  the 
light,  and  I  was  afraid  he'd  see  me  then  from  the  window, 
so  I  hurried  off.  But  I  thought  'twas  mighty  queer " 

"Mr.  Scott  was  dressed,  was  he?"  interrupted  the 
coroner. 

' '  Yes,  sir, ' '  Brown  answered,  sullenly. 

"  Did  you  go  directly  to  your  room?" 

"Yes,  sir." 

"  What  time  was  this  ?' ' 

"  I  heard  the  clock  strike  three  just  after  I  got  in." 

"You  saw  or  heard  nothing  more?" 
79 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

"No,  sir." 

"You  knew  nothing  of  what  had  occurred  at  the  house 
until  the  gardener  told  you  in  the  morning?" 

"N — yes — no,  sir,"  Brown  stammered,  with  another 
glance  towards  Mrs.  LaGrange,  who  was  watching  him 
closely. 

"What  did  you  say?"  demanded  the  coroner. 

"I  said  I  didn't  know  what  had  happened  till  Uncle 
Mose  told  me, ' '  Brown  answered,  doggedly. 

' '  That  will  do, ' '  said  the  coroner,  watching  the  witness 
narrowly  as  he  resumed  his  place  among  the  servants. 

During  the  latter  part  of  Brown's  testimony,  quick,  tele 
graphic  glances  had  been  exchanged  between  Scott  and 
Mr.  Sutherland,  and  one  or  two  slips  of  paper,  unobserved 
by  any  one  but  Merrick,  had  passed  from  one  to  the  other. 

Scott  was  well  aware  that  the  statements  made  by  the 
coachman  had  deepened  suspicion  against  himself.  He 
paid  little  attention  to  the  crowd,  however,  but  noted 
particularly  the  faces  of  the  guests  at  Fair  Oaks.  Ralph 
Mainwaring's,  dark  with  anger;  that  of  the  genial  Mr. 
Thornton  coldly  averted;  young  Mainwaring's  supercilious 
stare,  and  his  sister's  expression  of  contemptuous  disdain; 
and  as  he  studied  their  features  his  own  grew  immobile  as 
marble.  Suddenly  his  glance  encountered  Miss  Carleton's 
face  and  was  held  for  a  moment  as  though  under  a  spell. 
There  was  no  weak  sentimentality  there,  no  pity  or  sym 
pathy, — he  would  have  scorned  either, — but  the  perfect 
confidence  shining  in  her  eyes  called  forth  a  quick  response 
from  his  own,  though  not  a  muscle  stirred  about  the  sternly- 
set  mouth.  She  saw  and  understood,  and,  as  her  eyes  fell, 
a  smile,  inexplicable  and  mysterious,  flashed  for  an  instant 
across  her  face  and  was  gone. 

' '  John  Wilson, ' '  announced  the  coroner,  after  a  slight 
pause. 

So 


THE   WEAVING    OF   THE   WEB 

A  middle-aged  man,  rather  dull  in  appearance,  except 
for  a  pair  of  keenly  observant  eyes,  stepped  forward  with 
slow  precision. 

"You  are  Mr.  Ralph  Mainwaring's  valet,  I  believe?" 
said  the  coroner. 

' '  That  I  am,  sir, ' '  was  the  reply. 

' '  Have  you  been  for  some  time  in  his  employ  ?' ' 

The  man  peered  sharply  at  Dr.  Westlake  from  under  his 
heavy  brows,  and  replied,  with  great  deliberation,  ' '  Nigh 
onto  thirty  years,  sir." 

Then,  noting  the  surprise  in  his  interlocutor's  face,  he 
added,  with  dignity,  ' '  The  Wilsons,  sir,  have  served  the 
Mainwarings  for  three  generations.  My  father,  sir,  was 
valet  to  the  father  of  the  dead  Hugh  Mainwaring,  the 
Honorable  Ralph  Maxwell  Mainwaring,  sir. ' ' 

A  smile  played  over  the  features  of  young  Mainwaring 
at  these  words,  but  Scott  started  involuntarily,  and,  after 
studying  Wilson's  face  intently  for  a  moment,  hastily  pen 
cilled  a  few  words  on  a  slip  of  paper  which  he  handed  to 
Mr.  Sutherland,  and  both  watched  the  witness  with  special 
interest. 

His  testimony  differed  little  from  that  given  by  Hardy 
and  by  the  butler.  He  stated,  however,  that,  after  accom 
panying  Mr.  Ralph  Mainwaring  to  the  scene  of  the  murder, 
the  latter  sent  him  to  summon  Mr.  Scott ;  but  on  his  way  to 
the  young  gentleman's  room  he  saw  Mr.  Whitney  in  advance 
of  him,  who  called  the  secretary  and  immediately  returned 
with  him  to  the  library. 

' '  Was  Mr.  Scott  already  up  when  Mr.  Whitney  called 
him?"  the  coroner  inquired,  quickly. 

"  He  was  up  and  dressed,  sir,"  was  the  reply. 

Wilson  also  corroborated  the  butler's  statement  that 
Walter  LaGrange  was  not  seen  about  the  premises  until 
luncheon,  and  stated,  in  addition,  that  the  horse  belonging 
6  81 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

to  young  LaGrange  was  missing  from  the  stables  until 
nearly  noon.  Having  mingled  very  little  with  the  servants 
at  Fair  Oaks,  he  had  but  slight  knowledge  concerning  the 
occurrences  of  the  day  preceding  the  murder.  His  testi 
mony  was  therefore  very  brief. 

"Katie  O'Brien,  chambermaid,"  was  next  called;  and 
in  response  a  young  Irish  woman  quietly  took  her  place 
before  the  coroner.  She  answered  the  questions  addressed 
her  as  briefly  as  possible,  but  with  deliberation,  as  though 
each  word  had  been  carefully  weighed. 

"  Did  you  have  charge  of  the  private  rooms  of  Mr. 
Main  waring  ?' ' 

"Yes,  sir." 

"You  took  care  of  his  rooms  as  usual  Wednesday?" 

"Yes,  sir." 

"Did  you  see  Mr.  Mainwaring  during  the  day  or 
evening  ?' ' 

"  I  met  him  once  or  twice  in  the  halls." 

"  When  did  you  last  see  him?" 

"  About  two  o'clock  Wednesday  afternoon." 

"  State  how  you  first  heard  of  his  death." 

"I  was  working  in  the  halls  up-stairs  about  seven  that 
morning  and  heard  running  back  and  forth,  as  if  there  was 
trouble.  I  went  out  into  the  front  hall  and  met  the  butler, 
and  he  told  me  Mr.  Mainwaring  had  been  murdered." 

"  Did  you  go  in  to  see  him  at  that  time  ?" 

"Yes,  sir,  for  a  moment." 

"  Did  you  notice  anything  unusual  in  his  rooms?" 

"I  didn't  notice  anything  unusual  in  Mr.  Mainwaring's 
rooms. ' ' 

"  Did  you  in  any  room?" 

"Yes,  sir." 

' '  In  what  one  ?' ' 

"  In  Mr.  Scott's  room,  a  little  later." 
82 


"State  what  you  observed." 

"A  few  minutes  after  I  left  the  library  I  saw  Mr.  Scott 
come  out  of  his  room  and  go  away  with  Mr.  Whitney,  and 
I  thought  I  would  go  in  and  do  up  the  room.  So  I  went 
in,  but  the  bed  was  just  as  I  had  made  it  up  the  day  before. 
It  hadn't  been  slept  in  nor  touched.  Then  things  was 
strewn  around  considerable,  and  the  top  drawer  of  his 
dressing-case  was  kept  locked  all  the  forenoon  until  he 
went  to  the  city." 

"  When  did  he  go  to  the  city?" 

"About  noon." 

"Did  you  see  Mr.  Scott  the  day  or  evening  preceding 
Mr.  Mainwaring's  death?" 

"No,  sir;  but  I  know  he  was  locked  in  Mr.  Main 
waring's  library  all  the  afternoon,  after  the  folks  had  gone 
out  driving." 

' '  How  do  you  know  the  library  was  locked  ?' ' 

"  I  was  sweeping  in  the  corridor,  and  I  heard  him  unlock 
the  door  when  the  butler  came  up  with  some  gentleman's 
card. ' ' 

"  Did  you  see  the  gentleman  who  came  up-stairs  later?" 

"No,  sir." 

"  Did  you  see  Walter  LaG range  at  any  time  during 
yesterday  forenoon  ?' ' 

The  witness  colored  slightly,  but  replied,  "I  think  I 
met  him  once  or  twice;  I  don't  remember  just  when." 

' '  He  was  away  from  home  part  of  the  time,  was  he 
not  ?' ' 

"  I  don't  know  where  he  was." 

Nothing  further  of  importance  could  be  learned  from 
the  witness,  and,  as  it  was  then  past  twelve,  a  short  recess 
was  taken  until  after  lunch. 

Scott  took  his  place  at  the  table  with  the  guests,  seem 
ingly  alike  indifferent  to  cold  aversion  or  angry  frowns. 

83 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

He  was  conscious  that  Miss  Carleton  was  watching  him, 
her  manner  indicating  the  same  frank  friendliness  she  had 
shown  him  on  the  preceding  day,  and  in  response  to  a 
signal  from  her,  as  they  rose  from  the  table,  he  followed 
her  into  one  of  the  drawing-rooms,  joining  her  in  a  large 
alcove  window,  where  she  motioned  him  to  a  seat  on  a  low 
divan  by  her  side. 

"You  have  made  a  bitter  enemy  in  Mrs.  LaGrange," 
she  said,  archly ;  ' '  and  she  has  marshalled  her  forces 
against  you." 

"  Do  you  think  so?"  he  asked,  with  an  amused  smile. 

"Certainly.  She  displayed  her  tactics  this  morning. 
I  am  positive  that  much  of  the  testimony  was  given  in 
accordance  with  her  orders." 

"  For  the  most  part,  however,  the  witnesses  stated  facts, ' ' 
Scott  replied,  watching  her  closely. 

"Yes;  but  facts  may  be  so  misrepresented  as  to  give  an 
impression  quite  the  reverse  of  the  truth." 

"  That  is  so.  And  a  misrepresentation  having  a  founda 
tion  of  truth  is  the  hardest  to  fight.  But,"  he  added,  in  a 
lighter  tone,  ' '  all  this  testimony  against  me  does  not  seem 
to  have  produced  the  same  impression  upon  you  that  it  has 
upon  the  others.  Your  suspicions  do  not  seem,  as  yet,  to 
have  been  very  thoroughly  aroused." 

' '  Perhaps  my  suspicions  are  as  dormant  as  your  own 
apprehensions.  I  fail  to  detect  the  slightest  anxiety  on 
your  part  as  to  the  outcome  of  this,  one  way  or  another. ' ' 

"No,"  he  replied,  after  a  pause;  "I  feel  no  anxiety, 
only  resentment  that  circumstances  have  conspired  against 
me  just  at  this  time,  and  contempt  for  people  who  will  be 
led  by  appearances  rather  than  their  own  judgment. ' ' 

"  People  sometimes  use  very  little  judgment  where  their 
own  personal  interests  are  concerned." 

"  In  that  case,"  said  Scott,  as  they  rose  to  return  to  the 
84 


•YOU    IIAVK    MADK    A    KITTKR    KNEMV    IN"    MRS.    LAGRANGE, 
SHE   SAID,    ARCHI.Y 


THE   WEAVING   OF   THE   WEB 

library,  where  the  others  had  already  preceded  them,  "I 
suppose  the  word  of  one  unprincipled  woman  and  of  three 
or  four  ignorant  servants  will  be  allowed  to  outweigh 
mine." 

They  had  reached  the  library  and  Miss  Carleton  made 
no  reply,  but  Scott  again  saw  the  same  inscrutable  little 
smile  play  over  her  features,  and  wondered  at  its  meaning. 


CHAPTER    IX 

TANGLED    THREADS 

UPON  resuming  the  examination,  the  first  witness  called 
for  was  Mary  Catron,  the  second  cook,  a  woman  about 
thirty-five  years  of  age,  with  an  honest  face,  but  one 
indicative  of  a  fiery  temper.  Her  testimony  was  brief, 
but  given  with  a  directness  that  was  amusing.  When 
questioned  of  the  occurrences  of  the  day  preceding  the 
murder,  she  replied, — 

' '  I  know  nothing  of  what  went  on  except  from  the 
gossip  of  the  rest.  My  place  was  in  the  kitchen,  and  I 
had  too  much  to  do  that  day  to  be  loitering  round  in  the 
halls,  leaning  on  a  broom-handle,  and  listening  at  key 
holes,  ' '  and  she  cast  a  glance  of  scathing  contempt  in  the 
direction  of  the  chambermaid. 

"  Did  this  'gossip'  that  you  speak  of  have  any  bearing 
on  what  has  since  occurred?"  the  coroner  inquired. 

"Well,  sir,  it  might  and  it  mightn't.  'Twas  mostly 
about  the  will  that  Mr.  Mainwaring  was  making;  and  as 
how  them  that  got  little  was  angry  that  they  didn't  get 
more,  and  them  as  got  much  was  growling  at  not  getting 
the  whole." 

' '  How  did  the  servants  gain  any  knowledge  of  this 
will?" 

"  That's  more  than  I  can  say,  sir,  except  as  I  knows  the 
nature  of  some  folks." 

Upon  further  questioning,  the  witness  stated  that  on  the 
night  of  the  murder,  between  the  hours  of  two  and  three, 
she  was  aroused  by  a  sound  like  the  closing  of  an  outside 

86 


TANGLED  THREADS 

door,  but  on  going  to  one  of  the  basement  windows  to 
listen,  she  heard  nothing  further  and  concluded  she  had 
been  mistaken. 

' '  Did  you  see  the  coachman  at  that  time  ?' '  she  was 
asked. 

' '  A  few  minutes  later  I  looked  out  again  and  I  see  him 
gaping  and  grinning  at  the  house  and  jabbering  to  himself 
like  an  idiot,  and  I  was  minded  to  send  him  about  his 
business  if  he  hadn't  a-took  himself  off  when  he  did." 

"  He  was  perfectly  sober,  was  he  not?" 

' '  Sober  for  aught  that  I  know ;  but,  to  my  thinking, 
he's  that  daft  that  he's  noways  responsible  for  aught  that 
he  says." 

"Were  you  up-stairs  soon  after  the  alarm  was  given?" 
asked  the  coroner,  when  she  had  told  of  hearing  from  the 
butler  the  news  of  the  murder. 

"Yes,  sir;  I  went  up  as  soon  as  ever  I  heard  what  had 
happened. ' ' 

"  Who  was  in  the  library  at  that  time?" 

"Nobody  but  some  of  the  servants,  sir.  I  met  Mr. 
Whitney  just  as  I  came  out. ' ' 

"  Did  you  meet  any  one  else  ?' ' 

' '  I  met  no  one,  but  I  saw  the  housekeeper  coming  out 
of  her  son's  room.  She  didn't  see  me ;  but  she  was  telling 
him  to  get  ready  quick  to  go  somewheres,  and  I  heard  her 
say  to  hurry,  for  every  minute  was  precious. ' ' 

Louis  Picot,  the  head  cook,  could  give  no  information 
whatever.  When  the  alarm  was  given,  he  had  rushed, 
with  the  other  servants,  to  the  scene  of  the  murder,  and 
in  his  imperfect  English,  accompanied  by  expressive  French 
gestures,  he  tried  to  convey  his  horror  and  grief  at  the 
situation,  but  that  was  all. 

The  two  maids  who  attended  the  English  ladies  were 
next  called  upon ;  but  their  testimony  was  mainly  corrobo- 

87 


THAT    MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

rative  of  that  given  by  the  chambermaid,  except  that 
Sarah  Whitely,  Miss  Carleton's  maid,  stated,  in  addition, 
that  she  had  seen  Mr.  Walter  LaG range  leave  his  mother's 
room  in  great  haste  and  go  down-stairs,  and  a  little  later, 
from  one  of  the  upper  windows,  saw  him  riding  away  from 
the  stables  in  the  direction  of  the  south  gate. 

But  one  servant  remained,  ' '  Uncle  Mose, "  as  he  was 
familiarly  called,  the  old  colored  man  having  charge  of 
the  grounds  at  Fair  Oaks.  His  snow-white  hair  and  bent 
form  gave  him  a  venerable  appearance ;  but  he  was  still 
active,  and  the  shrewd  old  face  showed  both  humor  and 
pathos  as  he  proceeded  with  his  story.  He  had  been  a 
slave  in  his  younger  days,  and  still  designated  his  late 
employer  by  the  old  term  "  mars'  r."  He  was  a  well- 
known  character  to  many  present,  including  Dr.  Westlake, 
who  knew  that  in  this  instance  questions  would  have  to  be 
abandoned  and  the  witness  allowed  to  tell  his  story  in  his 
own  way. 

"Well,  Uncle  Mose,  you  have  been  employed  at  Fair 
Oaks  for  a  long  time,  haven't  you?" 

"Moah  dan  twenty  yeahs,  sah,  I'se  had  charge  ob  dese 
y'er  grounds;  an'  mars'r  Mainwaring,  he  fought  nobody 
but  ole  Mose  cud  take  cyah  ob  'em,  sah." 

' '  You  were  about  the  grounds  as  usual  Wednesday,  were 
you  not  ?' ' 

"  I  was  'bout  de  grounds  all  day,  sah,  'case  dere  was  a 
pow'ful  lot  to  do  a-gittin'  ready  for  de  big  doins  dere  was 
goin'  to  be  on  mars'r's  birfday. " 

"Did  you  see  either  of  the  strangers  who  called  that 
day?" 

"I'se  a-comin'  to  dat  d'rectly,  sah.  You  see,  sah,  I 
wants  to  say  right  heah,  befo'  I  goes  any  furder,  dat  I 
don'  know  noffin  'cept  what  tuk  place  under  my  own 
obserbation.  I  don'  feel  called  upon  to  'spress  no  'pinions 


TANGLED   THREADS 

'bout  nobody.  I  jes'  wants  to  state  a  few  recurrences  dat 
I  noted  at  de  time,  speshally  'bout  dem  strangers  as  was 
heah  in  pertickeler.  Well,  sah,  de  fust  man,  he  come 
heah  in  de  mawnin' .  De  Inglish  gentlemens,  dey  had  been 
a-walkin'  in  de  grounds  and  jes'  done  gone  roun'  de  corner 
ob  de  house  to  go  to  mars' r  Mainwaring's  liberry,  when 
dis  man  he  comes  up  de  av'nue  in  a  kerridge,  an'  de  fust 
ting  I  heah  'im  a-cussin'  de  driver.  Den  he  gets  out  and 
looks  roun'  kind  o'  quick,  jes'  like  de  possum  in  de  kohn, 
as  ef  he  was  'fraid  somebody  done  see  'im.  I  was  fixin' 
de  roses  on  de  front  poach,  an'  I  looked  at  'im  pow'ful 
sharp,  an'  when  de  dooh  opened  he  jumped  in  quick,  as 
ef  he  was  glad  to  get  out  o'  sight.  Well,  sah,  I  didn't 
like  de  'pearance  ob  dat  man,  an'  I  jes'  t' ought  I'd  get 
anoder  look  at  'im,  but  he  stayed  a  mighty  long  time,  sah, 
an'  bime'by  I  had  to  go  to  de  tool-house,  an'  when  I  gets 
back  the  kerridge  was  gone." 

"  Could  you  describe  the  man,  Uncle  Mose?"  the  coro 
ner  asked. 

"No,  sah,  I  don'  know  as  I  could  'scribe  'im  perzacly; 
but  I'd  know  'im,  no  matter  where  I  sot  eyes  on  'im,  and  I 
know'd  'im  the  nex'  time  I  see  'im.  Well,  sah,  dat  aft'- 
noon,  mars' r  Mainwaring  an'  de  folks  had  gone  out  ridin', 
an'  I  was  roun'  kind  o'  permiscuous  like,  an'  I  see  anoder 
kerridge  way  down  de  av'nue  by  de  front  gate,  an'  I  waited, 
'spectin'  maybe  I'd  see  dat  man  again.  While  I  was  waitin' 
by  de  front  dooh,  all  ob  a  sudden  a  man  come  roun'  from 
de  side,  as  ef  he  come  from  mars' r  Mainwaring's  liberry, 
but  he  was  anoder  man. ' ' 

"  Didn't  he  look  at  all  like  the  first  man?"  inquired  the 
coroner. 

"No,  sah;  he  looked  altogedder  diff'rent;  but  I  don' 
know  as  I  could  state  whar'in  de  differ ensiashun  consisted, 
sah.  Dis  man  was  berry  good  lookin'  'ceptin'  his  eyes, 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

an'  dem  yoh  cudn'  see,  'case  he  had  on  cull'ed  glasses. 
Mebbe  his  eyes  was  pow'ful  weak,  er  mebbe  he  didn't 
want  nobody  to  see  'em;  but  I  'spicioned  dem  glasses 
d'rectly,  sah,  an'  I  watched  'im.  He  goes  down  to  de 
kerridge  an'  takes  out  a  coat  an'  says  sump' in  to  de  driver, 
an'  de  kerridge  goes  away  tow'ds  de  town,  an'  he  walks 
off  de  oder  way.  Bime'by  I  see  'im  gwine  back  again 
on  de  oder  side  ob  de  street — 

"Was  he  alone?"  interrupted  the  coroner. 

"Yes,  sah;  an'  I  done  kep'  my  eye  on  'im,  an'  he 
didn'  go  on  to  de  town,  but  tuhned  down  de  fust  side 
street.  Well,  sah,  I  didn'  see  no  moah  ob  'im  den;  but 
dat  ebenin'  I'd  ben  a-workin'  roun'  de  house,  sprinklin' 
de  grass  and  gettin'  ready  foh  de  nex'  day,  when  I  happens 
to  pass  by  de  side  dooh,  an'  I  sees  dem  two  men  comin' 
out  togedder. ' ' 

' '  What  time  was  this,  Uncle  Mose  ?' '  the  coroner  asked, 
quickly. 

"Well,  sah,"  said  the  old  man,  reflectively,  "my 
,  mem'ry  is  a  little  derelictions  on  dat  p'int,  but  I  knows 
'twas  gettin'  putty  late." 

' '  Are  you  sure  these  were  the  same  two  men  you  had 
seen  earlier  in  the  day?" 

"Yes,  sah;  'case  I  stepped  in  de  bushes  to  watch  'em. 
Dey  talked  togedder  berry  low,  an'  den  one  man  goes 
back  into  de  house,  an'  I  seen  'im  plain  in  de  hall  light, 
an'  he  was  de  fust  man;  an'  while  I  was  a-watchin'  'im, 
de  oder  man  he  disappeahed  an'  I  cudn'  see  'im  nowhar, 
but  I  know'd  he  was  de  man  dat  came  in  de  a  ft' noon, 
'case  he  look  jes'  like  'im,  an'  toted  a  coat  on  his  arm. 
Well,  sah,  I  t'inks  it  a  berry  cur' is  sarcumstance,  an'  I  was 
jes'  comin'  to  de  preclushun  dat  I'd  mention  it  to  some  ob 
de  fambly,  when  de  fust  man,  he  come  to  de  dooh  wid  de 
housekeeper.  I  was  in  de  shadder  and  dey  didn'  see  me, 

90 


TANGLED   THREADS 

but  I  heah  'im  say,  kind  o'  soft  like,  'Remember,  my 
deah  lady,  dis  is  a  biz 'ness  contract;  I  does  my  part,  an' 
I  'spects  my  pay.'  An'  she  says,  'Oh,  yes,  yoh  shall 
hab  yohr  money  widout  fail.'  An'  I  says  to  myse'f, 
'  Mose,  yoh  ole  fool,  what  you  stan'  in'  heah  foh  ?  Dat 
ain't  nuffin  dat  consarns  yoh  nohow,'  an'  I  goes  home,  an' 
dat's  all  I  know,  sah.  But  I'se  ben  pow'ful  sorry  eber 
sence  dat  I  didn'  let  mars' r  Mainwaring  know  'bout  it, 
'case  I  has  my  'spicions, "  and  the  old  darkey  shook  his 
head,  while  the  tears  coursed  down  his  furrowed  cheeks. 

"How  did  you  hear  of  Mr.  Mainwaring's  death?" 
asked  the  coroner. 

"  De  coachman,  he  done  tole  me,  sah." 

"  Why,  the  coachman  stated  that  you  told  him  what  had 
occurred. ' ' 

"  No,  sah;  he  done  tole  me;  I'd  come  up  to  de  place 
pow'ful  ahly  dat  mawnin'  'case  dere  was  to  be  such  big 
doings  dat  day,  an'  I  was  gwine  to  de  tool-house  foh 
sump'in,  an'  I  see  mars' r  Walter  ridin'  away  from  de 
stables  pow'ful  fas'  on  his  hoss — 

"  Do  you  mean  Walter  LaG range?" 

"  Yes,  sah;  an'  de  coachman  he  came  out  an'  I  ax  'im 
whar  de  young  man  was  gwine  dat  ahly,  an'  he  say  mars' r 
Mainwaring  ben  killed,  an'  mars' r  Walter  had  to  go  to 
town  as  fas'  as  his  hoss  cud  take  'im." 

' '  Do  you  know  when  he  returned  ?' ' 

"  He  came  back,  sah,  befo'  berry  long,  an'  den  he  went 
away  agin  and  didn't  come  back  till  mos'  noon." 

When  the  old  darkey  had  been  dismissed  the  coachman 
was  recalled. 

"  What  did  you  mean  by  stating  that  you  first  heard  of 
Mr.  Mainwaring's  death  from  the  gardener,  when  the  re 
verse  was  the  truth  ?' ' 

"  I  don't  know,"  he  replied,  carelessly;  "  I  s'pose  I  got 
91 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

mixed.  I  remember  talking  with  him  about  it,  and  I  thought 
he  told  me." 

"You  had  forgotten  the  interview  with  Walter  La- 
Grange,  I  presume." 

Brown  made  no  answei. 

"  Why  did  you  not  mention  that  ?' ' 

"  I  wasn't  asked  to,"  he  replied  in  insolent  tones  ;  "  you 
said  nothing  to  me  about  Mr.  LaGrange." 

"  You  are  expected  to  state  in  full  every  occurrence 
having  any  bearing  on  the  situation.  You  may  give  the 
particulars  of  that  interview  now." 

"There's  nothing  to  tell  more  than  Uncle  Mose  told. 
I  was  working  in  the  stables  as  usual,  and  Mr.  LaGrange 
came  in  in  a  big  hurry  and  ordered  me  to  saddle  his  horse 
as  quick  as  I  could,  that  Mr.  Mainwaring  had  been  mur 
dered,  and  he'd  got  to  go  to  town." 

"At  what  time  was  this?" 

"About  half-past  seven,  I  should  say." 

"  Did  he  state  his  errand?" 

"No,  sir." 

"When  did  he  return?" 

"  I  saw  his  horse  standing  in  the  yard  outside  the  stables 
about  half  an  hour  after,  and  then  'twas  gone,  and  I  didn't 
see  it  again  till  noon." 

Walter  LaGrange  was  next  called.  He  stated  that  he 
had  spent  the  greater  part  of  the  day  preceding  the  mur 
der  away  from  Fair  Oaks ;  he  had  not  been  at  home  to 
luncheon  or  dinner,  and  consequently  knew  nothing  of  the 
strangers  seen  on  the  place  that  day.  He  had  returned 
about  half-past  ten  that  evening,  and  remembered  seeing 
Mr.  Mainwaring  and  his  guests  seated  on  the  veranda,  but 
he  had  gone  directly  to  his  room  without  meeting  any  one. 
The  first  intimation  which  he  had  received  of  any  unusual 
occurrence  the  next  morning  was  when  his  mother  entered 

92 


TANGLED   THREADS 

his  room  and  told  him  that  Mr.  Mainwaring  had  either 
been  murdered  or  had  committed  suicide,  no  one  knew 
which. 

"  Was  that  her  only  object  in  coming  to  your  room?" 

' '  No,  sir ;  she  wanted  me  to  do  an  errand  for  her. ' ' 

"  Will  you  state  the  nature  of  this  errand?" 

"  It  was  only  to  deliver  a  note." 

"  To  whom  ?" 

"To  Mr.  Hobson,"  the  young  man  answered  weakly, 
while  his  mother  frowned,  the  first  sign  of  emotion  of  any 
kind  which  she  had  betrayed  that  day. 

"  Did  you  deliver  the  note  ?" 

"Yes,  sir." 

"Then,  under  your  mother's  orders,  you  went  to  the 
city  on  your  second  trip,  did  you  not  ?' ' 

*' '  Y — yes,  sir. ' ' 

' '  Were  you  successful  in  finding  Mr.  Hobson  there  ?' ' 

"Yes,  sir,"  the  witness  answered  sullenly. 

"  You  had  other  business  in  the  city  aside  from  meeting 
him,  had  you  not?" 

Between  the  coroner's  persistence  and  his  mother's  visi 
ble  signs  of  displeasure,  Walter  LaGrange  was  fast  losing 
his  temper. 

"  If  you  know  so  much  about  this  business,  I  don't  see 
the  use  of  your  questioning  me, ' '  he  retorted  angrily.  "  It's 
no  affair  of  mine  anyway  ;  1  had  nothing  to  do  with  it,  nor 
I  won't  be  mixed  up  in  it;  and  if  you  want  any  informa 
tion  you'd  better  ask  mother  for  it;  it's  her  business  and 
none  of  mine." 

After  a  few  more  questions,  which  the  witness  answered 
sullenly  and  in  monosyllables,  he  was  dismissed. 

' '  Mr.  Higgenbotham, ' '  announced  the  coroner.  The 
greatest  surprise  was  manifested  on  every  side  as  the 
senior  member  of  a  well-known  firm  of  jewellers  stepped 

93 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

forward ;  the  same  gentleman  who  had  accompanied  Mr. 
Whitney  on  his  return  from  the  city  on  the  preceding  day. 

"  Mr.  Higgenbotham,"  said  the  coroner,  "  I  believe  you 
are  able  to  furnish  some  testimony  which  will  be  pertinent 
at  this  time." 

"Yes,  Dr.  Westlake,"  responded  the  other,  in  deep, 
musical  tones,  "  I  think  possibly  I  can  render  you  a  little 
assistance  in  your  investigations. ' ' 

' '  Mr.  Higgenbotham,  do  you  recognize  the  young  gen 
tleman  who  has  just  given  his  testimony?" 

' '  I  do,  sir, ' '  said  the  witness,  adjusting  a  pair  of  eye 
glasses  and  gazing  steadily  at  Walter  LaG range.  "I 
recall  his  features  perfectly. ' ' 

"You  were  personally  acquainted  with  the  late  Hugh 
Mainwaring,  I  believe  ?' ' 

"Yes,  sir,  intimately  acquainted  with  him." 

"You  are,  I  believe,  familiar  with  the  Mainwaring 
jewels  which  are  now  missing?"  continued  the  coroner. 

Walter  LaGrange  looked  uncomfortable  and  his  mother's 
cheek  paled. 

"I  am,  sir;  having  had  them  repeatedly  left  in  my 
possession  for  safe  keeping  during  their  owner's  absence 
from  home ;  and  I  have  also  a  complete  list  of  them,  with 
a  detailed  description  of  every  piece." 

"Very  well,  Mr.  Higgenbotham,  will  you  now  please 
state  when,  and  under  what  circumstances,  you  saw  this 
young  gentleman?" 

"  I  was  seated  in  my  private  office  yesterday  morning, 
when  my  head  clerk  came  in  and  asked  me  to  step  out  into 
the  salesrooms  for  a  moment,  as  he  said  a  young  man  was 
there  trying  to  sell  some  very  fine  jewels,  and,  from  his 
youth  and  his  ignorance  of  their  value,  he  feared  some 
thing  was  wrong.  I  went  out  immediately  and  saw  this 
young  gentleman,  who  handed  me  for  inspection  a  superb 

94 


TANGLED    THREADS 

diamond  brooch  and  an  elegant  necklace  of  diamonds  and 
pearls.  I  instantly  recognized  the  gems  as  pieces  from  the 
old  Maimvaring  collection  of  jewels.  Simultaneously  there 
occurred  to  my  mind  the  report  of  the  murder  of  Hugh 
Maimvaring,  which  I  had  heard  but  a  short  time  before, 
although  then  I  knew  nothing  of  the  robbery.  Naturally, 
my  suspicions  were  awakened.  I  questioned  the  young 
man  closely,  however,  and  he  stated  that  his  home  was  at 
Fair  Oaks,  and  that  his  mother  was  a  distant  relative  of 
Mr.  Mainwaring's ;  that  the  jewels  were  hers,  and  she 
wished  to  dispose  of  them  for  ready  cash  to  meet  an 
emergency.  His  story  was  so  plausible  that  I  thought 
possibly  my  suspicions  had  been  somewhat  hasty  and  pre 
mature.  Still,  I  declined  to  purchase  the  jewels;  and 
when  he  left  the  store  I  ordered  one  of  our  private  de 
tectives  to  follow  him  and  report  to  me.  In  the  course  of 
an  hour  the  detective  returned  and  reported  that  the  young 
man  had  sold  the  jewels  to  a  pawnbroker  for  less  than  one- 
fourth  their  actual  value.  About  half  an  hour  later  I  heard 
the  news  of  the  robbery  at  Fair  Oaks,  and  that  the  family 
jewels  were  missing ;  and  knowing  that  Mr.  Whitney  was 
here,  I  immediately  telephoned  to  him  the  facts  which  I 
have  just  stated.  He  came  in  to  the  city  at  once,  and  we 
proceeded  to  the  pawnshop,  where  he  also  identified  the 
jewels." 

Mr.  Higgenbotham  paused  for  a  moment,  producing  a 
package  from  an  inner  pocket,  which  he  proceeded  to  open. 

"We  secured  a  loan  of  the  jewels  for  a  few  days,"  he 
continued,  advancing  towards  the  coroner.  "Here  they 
are,  and  here  is  a  copy  of  the  list  of  which  I  spoke.  By 
comparing  these  gems  with  the  description  of  those  which 
I  have  checked  on  the  list,  you  will  see  that  they  are 
identical." 

He  placed  the  open  casket  on  the  table.  There  was  a 
95 


THAT    MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

moment's  silence,  broken  by  subdued  exclamations  of 
admiration  as  Dr.  Westlake  lifted  the  gems  from  their 
resting-place. 

' '  You  are  correct, ' '  he  said ;  ' '  the  description  is  com 
plete.  There  is  no  doubt  that  these  are  a  part  of  the 
collection.  I  see  you  have  marked  the  value  of  these  two 
items  as  seven  thousand  dollars. ' ' 

"Yes;  that  is  a  moderate  valuation.  And  were  the 
prices  of  the  other  articles  carried  out,  you  would  see  that, 
with  the  exception  of  a  few  very  small  pieces,  these  have 
the  least  value  of  the  entire  lot.  I  believe  I  can  be  of  no 
further  service. ' ' 

Mrs.  LaGrange  was  next  recalled. 

"  Have  you  anything  to  say  in  reference  to  the  testimony 
just  given?"  the  coroner  inquired. 

"I  have  this  much  to  say,"  she  replied,  haughtily, 
"that  I  could  have  given  you  the  history  of  those  jewels, 
including,  perhaps,  some  facts  of  which  even  Mr.  Higgen- 
botham  and  Mr.  Whitney  are  in  ignorance,  and  thus  have 
spared  you  the  infinite  pains  you  have  taken  to  make 
public  the  straits  to  which  I  was  reduced,  because  of  my 
position  here,  when  in  need  of  a  little  ready  money.  I 
could  have  informed  you  that  they  were  originally  a  part 
of  the  old  Mainwaring  collection  of  gems,  until  they  were 
given  me  by  my  husband. ' ' 

"  It  hardly  seems  consistent  that  a  man  who  treated  his 
wife  in  the  manner  in  which  you  claim  to  have  been 
treated  would  bestow  upon  her  gifts  of  such  value  as 
these, ' '  the  coroner  remarked  with  emphasis. 

"They  were  of  little  value  to  him,"  she  answered,  with 
scorn  ;  "  as  you  have  been  informed,  they  were  the  poorest 
which  he  possessed.  Besides,  there  were  times  when  I 
could  persuade  him  to  almost  anything, — anything  but  to 
acknowledge  his  lawful  wife  and  his  legitimate  son." 

96 


TANGLED   THREADS 

"  Was  the  money  which  you  were  forced  to  raise  by  the 
sale  of  these  jewels  to  be  paid  to  Hobson  ?' ' 

"It  was." 

"  In  accordance  with  the  terms  of  your  contract  with 
him,  made  a  few  hours  preceding  the  death  of  Mr.  Main- 
waring  ?' ' 

"Yes,"  she  replied,  defiantly.  "And  as  you  probably 
would  ask  the  nature  of  that  contract,  I  will  save  you  the 
trouble  Knowing  that  my  son  and  I  were  likely  to  be 
defrauded  of  our  rights  in  the  same  manner  in  which  Hugh 
Mainwaring  had  defrauded  others,  I  engaged  Mr.  Hobson 
as  my  attorney,  as  he,  better  than  any  one  else,  knew  the 
facts  in  the  case.  When  I  learned  yesterday  morning  of 
my  husband's  death,  I  realized  that  I  would  have  imme 
diate  need  of  his  services,  and  accordingly  sent  him  word 
to  that  effect.  He  demanded  a  large  cash  payment  at 
once.  The  result  of  this  demand  Mr.  Higgenbotham  has 
already  told  you." 

' '  How  was  Hobson  to  secure  for  you  your  rights  from 
Hugh  Mainwaring?" 

"That  was  left  entirely  to  his  own  discretion." 

"Will  you  describe  the  appearance  of  Mr.  Hobson' s 
clerk?" 

"  Unfortunately,  I  am  unable  to  do  so.  He  was  merely 
brought  as  a  witness  to  our  contract.  I  knew  that  he  was 
present,  but  he  remained  in  the  shadow,  and  I  took  no 
notice  of  him  whatever. ' ' 

"Your  contract,  then,  was  a  verbal  one?" 

"It  was." 

Upon  being  closely  questioned,  Mrs.  LaGrange  reiterated 
her  assertions  of  the  preceding  day,  laying  particular  stress 
upon  the  alleged  interview  between  Hugh  Mainwaring  and 
his  secretary,  after  which  she  was  dismissed,  and  Harry 
Scott  was  recalled. 

7  97 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

11  Mr.  Scott,"  said  the  coroner,  "  what  were  the  relations 
existing  between  Mr.  Mainwaring  and  yourself  up  to  the 
time  of  his  death?" 

Scott  flushed  slightly  as  he  replied,  ' '  Those  ordinarily 
existing  between  employer  and  employed,  except  that  I 
believe  Mr.  Mainwaring  accorded  me  more  than  usual 
consideration,  and  I,  while  duly  appreciative  of  his  kind 
ness,  yet  took  especial  pains  never  to  exceed  the  bounds 
of  an  employee. ' ' 

' '  Were  there  ever  any  unpleasant  words  passed  between 
you?" 

' '  None  whatever. ' ' 

"Was  your  last  interview  with  Mr.  Mainwaring  of  a 
friendly  nature  ?' ' 

"Entirely  so." 

"What  have  you  to  say  in  reference  to  the  testimony 
given  to  the  effect  that  your  voice  was  heard  and  recog 
nized  in  angry  conversation  with  Mr.  Mainwaring  at  nearly 
one  o'clock?" 

"  I  have  to  say  that  it  is  false,  and  without  foundation." 

' '  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  the  statement  of  the  witness 
was  wholly  without  truth?" 

"  I  do  not  deny  that  such  an  interview,  as  alleged  by 
the  witness,  may  have  taken  place,  for  that  is  something 
concerning  which  I  have  no  knowledge  whatever ;  but  I 
do  deny  that  she  heard  my  voice,  or  that  I  was  in  the 
library  at  that  time,  or  at  any  time  after  about  twenty 
minutes  past  twelve. ' ' 

"Was  that  the  time  at  which  you  went  to  your 
room  ?' ' 

' '  Very  near  that  time,  as  my  interview  with  Mr.  Main- 
waring  could  not  have  exceeded  ten  minutes. ' ' 

"At  what  time  did  you  retire?" 

"I  sat  up  very  late  that  night,   for  my  mind  was  so 


TANGLED   THREADS 

occupied  with  some  personal  matters  that  I  felt  no  inclina 
tion  for  sleep.  I  lighted  a  cigar  and  became  so  absorbed 
in  my  own  thoughts  that  I  was  totally  unaware  of  the  lapse 
of  time,  until  I  was  aroused  by  what  I  thought  was  a 
stealthy  step  outside.  I  then  became  conscious,  for  the 
first  time,  that  I  was  very  weary,  both  physically  and 
mentally,  and  I  also  discovered  that  it  was  nearly  three 
o'clock.  Astonished  to  find  it  so  late,  and  exhausted  by 
hours  of  protracted  thought,  I  threw  myself  as  I  was  upon 
a  low  couch,  where  I  slept  soundly  until  awakened  in  the 
morning. ' ' 

Further  questions  failed  to  reveal  any  discrepancy  in  his 
statement,  and  he  was  dismissed. 

The  testimony  of  Ralph  Mainwaring  and  of  his  son 
added  nothing  of  interest  or  importance.  Mr.  Thornton 
testified  to  his  incidental  meeting  with  Hobson  and  to  the 
reputation  which  the  man  had  borne  in  London.  When 
he  had  resumed  his  seat  the  coroner  remarked, — 

"As  a  matter  of  form,  I  will  have  to  call  upon  the 
ladies,  though  it  is  not  expected  they  will  be  able  to 
furnish  any  information  throwing  light  on  this  mysterious 
case." 

It  was,  as  he  had  said,  little  more  than  a  ceremony 
and  occupied  but  a  few  moments.  Miss  Carleton  was  the 
last  one  called  upon.  She  stated  that  it  was  nearly  eleven 
o'clock  when  she  reached  her  room,  but  added  that  she 
did  not  retire  immediately,  as  her  cousin,  Miss  Thornton, 
had  come  in,  and  they  had  chatted  together  for  more  than 
an  hour ;  that  while  so  engaged,  she  heard  Mr.  Scott  come 
up-stairs  and  enter  his  room,  which  adjoined  hers,  and  lock 
the  door  for  the  night. 

"  At  what  hour  was  this?"  inquired  the  coroner. 

"  It  could  not  have  been  more  than  twenty  minutes  after 
twelve,  as  it  was  twenty-five  minutes  after  twelve  when  my 

99 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

cousin  went  to  her  room,  and  this  was  about  five  minutes 
earlier. ' ' 

"  Can  you  state  whether  or  not  he  left  his  room  within 
the  next  half-hour?" 

"  I  know  that  he  did  not,"  she  replied.  "  I  can  testify 
that  he  remained  in  his  room  until  after  one  o'clock. 
After  my  cousin  left  I  discovered  that  the  moon  was  just 
rising,  and  the  view  across  the  Hudson  being  extremely 
beautiful,  as  well  as  novel  to  me,  I  extinguished  the  light 
in  my  room  and  sat  down  by  the  open  window  to  enjoy  it. 
I  heard  Mr.  Scott  stepping  quietly  about  his  room  for  a 
few  moments ;  then  all  was  still.  I  sat  for  some  time 
admiring  the  scenery,  until  I  was  aroused  by  hearing  him 
pacing  back  and  forth  like  a  person  in  deep  thought.  I 
then  found  it  was  much  later  than  I  supposed, — nearly  one 
o'clock, — and  I  immediately  retired  ;  but  so  long  as  I  was 
awake  I  could  hear  him  walking  in  his  room." 

As  Miss  Carleton  finished  her  testimony  it  was  evident 
that  the  tide  of  general  opinion  had  turned  somewhat  in 
favor  of  the  young  secretary,  but  the  latter  quietly  ignored 
the  friendly  glances  cast  in  his  direction. 

It  was  generally  supposed  that  all  testimony  in  the  case 
had  now  been  heard.  Considerable  surprise  was,  there 
fore,  manifested  when  the  coroner  nodded  to  Mr.  Whitney, 
who,  in  turn,  beckoned  to  some  one  in  the  hall.  In 
response  the  butler  appeared,  ushering  in  a  tall  man,  with 
cadaverous  features  and  small,  dark  eyes,  which  peered 
restlessly  about  him. 

"Richard  Hobson,"  announced  the  coroner. 

"At  your  service,  sir,"  said  the  man,  advancing  with  a 
cringing  gait  and  fawning,  apologetic  smile. 

"Mr.  Hobson,"  said  the  coroner,  after  a  few  prelimi 
naries,  "I  understand  you  were  somewhat  acquainted  with 
the  late  Hugh  Mainwaring." 


TANGLED   THREADS 

"Well,  yes,  sir,  somewhat"  the  other  replied  in  soft, 
insinuating  tones,  but  with  peculiar  emphasis  on  the  word 
used  by  Dr.  Westlake.  "Indeed,  I  might  say,  without 
exaggeration,  that  I  was  probably  better  acquainted  with 
that  estimable  gentleman  than  was  any  one  in  this  country." 

' '  When  did  you  last  see  Mr.  Mainwaring  ?' ' 

"  I  have  not  seen  him  to  speak  with  him  for  fully 
twenty-three  years." 

"You  have  corresponded  with  him,  however,  in  that 
time?" 

The  witness  showed  no  surprise. 

"  We  exchanged  a  few  letters  while  I  was  in  England. 
I  have  neither  heard  from  him  nor  written  to  him  since 
coming  to  this  country. ' ' 

' '  When  did  you  last  see  him,  regardless  of  whether  you 
spoke  to  him  or  not?" 

"Probably  within  the  last  two  or  three  weeks.  I  have 
occasionally  met  him  on  the  street. ' ' 

"  Did  Mr.  Mainwaring  see  you  at  any  of  these  times?" 

"If  he  did,  he  did  not  recognize  me." 

"  Did  you  see  him  when  you  called  at  Fair  Oaks,  Wed 
nesday, — either  morning  or  evening?" 

"I  did  not." 

"Mr.  Hobson,  will  you  describe  the  man  who  accom 
panied  you  when  you  called  in  the  evening,  Wednesday?" 

' '  I  could  give  you  a  general  description.  He  was  a 
large  man,  about  my  own  height,  but  heavier,  and  rather 
good  looking,  on  the  whole.  But  I  am  not  good  on  details, 
such  as  complexion,  color  of  hair,  and  so  on ;  and  then, 
you  know,  those  little  things  are  very  easily  changed." 

"  What  was  his  name  ?' ' 

Mr.  Hobson  smiled  blandly.  "The  name  by  which  I 
know  him  is  John  Carroll,  but  I  have  no  idea  as  to  his  real 
name.  He  is  a  very  eccentric  character,  many-sided  as  it 

101 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

were,  and  I  never  know  which  side  will  come  upper 
most.  ' ' 

' '  He  is  your  clerk  and  in  your  employ,  is  he  not  ?' ' 

"  Agent,  I  think,  would  be  a  preferable  term.  He  is  in 
my  employ,  he  transacts  certain  business  for  me,  but  he 
does  it  in  his  own  way,  and  comes  and  goes  at  his  own 
discretion." 

"  Where  is  he  at  present  ?' ' 

"  I  have  no  idea,  sir." 

"  Did  he  leave  for  the  city  that  night,  or  did  he  remain 
with  you  at  the  Riverside  Hotel  ?" 

' '  He  was  not  with  me  at  the  hotel  except  for  a  few 
hours.  I  have  not  the  slightest  idea  from  whence  he  came 
to  see  me,  when  he  went  away,  or  in  what  direction  he 
went.  He  was  in  haste  to  be  excused  as  soon  as  our  joint 
business  was  done,  and  I  have  not  seen  him  since." 

"  Did  he  have  on  dark  glasses  that  day?" 

"  Not  when  I  saw  him,  but  that  was  only  in  my  room  at 
the  hotel,  and  for  a  few  moments  in  this  house ;  he  would 
have  no  need  for  them  at  either  place. ' ' 

"  Did  he  not  accompany  you  from  the  hotel  to  Fair 
Oaks?" 

"No,  sir;  we  met  here  by  prearrangement. " 

"When  do  you  expect  to  see  your  agent  again?" 

"Whenever  he  has  any  business  reports  to  make," 
Hobson  replied,  with  an  exasperating  smile  ;  "but  I  have 
no  idea  when  that  will  be.  He  has  other  commissions  to 
execute ;  he  is  in  the  employ  of  others  besides  myself,  and 
transacts  some  business  on  his  own  account  also. ' ' 

' '  I  understand,  Mr.  Hobson,  that  you  have  repeatedly 
extorted  money  from  Mr.  Mainwaring  by  threatening  to 
disclose  facts  in  your  possession  regarding  some  question 
able  transaction." 

"No,  sir;  my  action  could  not  be  termed  extortion  or 
1 02 


TANGLED   THREADS 

blackmail  within  the  meaning  of  the  law,  though  to  any 
one  conversant  with  Mr.  Mainwaring's  private  correspond 
ence  it  may  have  had  that  appearance.  I  was,  however, 
merely  making  an  effort  to  collect  what  was  legally  due 
me.  Mr.  Mainwaring,  before  leaving  England,  had  volun 
tarily  bound  himself  to  pay  me  a  certain  sum  upon  the 
condition  that  I  would  not  reveal  certain  transactions  of 
considerably  more  than  '  questionable  '  character.  I  kept 
my  part  of  the  contract,  but  he  failed  in  his.  I  wrote  him, 
therefore,  threatening,  unless  he  fulfilled  his  share  of  the 
agreement,  to  institute  proceedings  against  him,  which 
would  naturally  involve  a  disclosure  of  his  secret.  He  never 
paid  me  in  full  and  the  secret  is  still  mine,"  he  paused, 
then  added  slowly,  ' '  to  keep  or  to  sell,  as  will  pay  me 
best." 

"Was  Hugh  Mainwaring  ever  married?"  the  coroner 
asked,  abruptly. 

' '  I  believe  he  was  not  generally  considered  a  married 
man,  sir." 

"  Was  there  ever  any  private  marriage?" 

Hobson  smiled  enigmatically.  "  You  already  have  the 
word  of  the  lady  herself,  sir ;  that  should  be  sufficient.  I 
cannot  reveal  any  of  Hugh  Mainwaring's  secrets, — unless 
I  am  well  paid  for  it ! " 

Hobson  was  dismissed  without  further  questions,  and  the 
examination  being  now  at  an  end,  the  coroner's  jury  re 
tired  to  the  room  in  the  rear  of  the  library.  Very  few 
left  the  house,  for  all  felt  that  little  time  would  be  required 
for  the  finding  of  a  verdict,  and  comment  and  opinion 
were  freely  exchanged. 

' '  Well, ' '  said  Mr.  Sutherland,  turning  towards  the  sec 
retary  with  a  smile,  "  they  did  not  learn  one  fact  from  that 
last  witness,  for  I  doubt  whether  one  of  the  few  statements 
he  did  make  had  an  iota  of  truth  in  it.  By  the  way,  Mr. 

103 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

Scott,  it's  a  very  fortunate  thing  that  you've  got  the  proofs 
you  have.  It  would  be  a  risky  piece  of  work  to  depend 
on  that  man's  word  for  proof;  he  is  as  slippery  as  an  eel. 
With  those  proofs,  however,  there  is  no  doubt  but  that 
you've  got  a  strong  case." 

"  It  will  be  hard  to  convince  Ralph  Mainwaring  of  that 
fact." 

"Yes,  he  looks  as  though  he  would  hold  on  to  his 
opinions  pretty  tenaciously. ' ' 

< '  Not  so  tenaciously  as  he  would  grasp  any  money 
corning  within  his  reach  ! ' ' 

At  a  little  distance,  Mr.  Whitney  was  engaged  in  con 
versation  with  the  Englishmen. 

' '  I  never  thought  he  could  be  in  any  way  connected 
with  it,"  he  was  saying.  "  In  the  first  place,  there  was  no 
motive,  there  could  be  none ;  then,  again,  I  believe  he  is 
altogether  above  suspicion.  I  know  that  Mr.  Mainwaring 
had  the  most  implicit  confidence  in  him." 

"Well,"  said  Mr.  Thornton,  "for  my  part,  I'm  heartily 
glad  if  there  is  nothing  in  it.  I  always  liked  the  young 
fellow." 

"  That's  just  where  I  don't  agree  with  you ;  I  don't  like 
him,"  Ralph  Mainwaring  replied  in  a  surly  tone.  "He 
may  be  all  right  so  far  as  this  matter  is  concerned ;  I  don't 
say  yet  that  he  is  or  isn't ;  but  I  do  say  that  to  defame  a 
man's  character  after  he's  dead,  in  the  manner  he  has,  is 
simply  outrageous,  and,  you  may  depend  upon  it,  there's 
some  personal  spite  back  of  it. ' ' 

"Oh,  well,  as  to  Hugh's  character,  I  don't  think  you 
or  I  are  going  to  fret  ourselves  about  that, ' '  laughed  Mr. 
Thornton.  "  He  probably  sowed  his  wild  oats  with  the 
rest  of  us,  and  there  may  have  been  some  reason  for  his 
leaving  England  as  he  did. ' ' 

"I  don't  believe  it,"  Ralph  Mainwaring  retorted,  an- 

104. 


TANGLED   THREADS 

grily ;  but  before  he  could  say  more,  the  doors  opened  and 
the  coroner's  jury  filed  into  the  room.  There  was  instant 
silence,  and  a  moment  later  the  verdict  had  been  announced. 
It  was  what  every  one  had  expected,  and  yet  there  was  not 
one  but  experienced  a  feeling  of  disappointment  and  dis 
satisfaction. 

"We  find  that  the  deceased,  Hugh  Mainwaring,  came 
to  his  death  by  the  discharge  of  a  revolver  in  the  hands 
of  some  person  or  persons  to  us  unknown. ' ' 


105 


CHAPTER    X 

BEHIND    THE    SCENES 

THE  crowd  dispersed  rapidly,  passing  down  the  oak- 
lined  avenue  in  twos  and  threes,  engaged  in  animated 
discussion  of  the  details  of  the  inquest,  while  each  one 
advanced  some  theory  of  his  own  regarding  the  murder. 
Mr.  Sutherland  had  taken  his  departure  after  making  an 
appointment  with  Scott  for  the  following  day,  and  the 
latter  now  stood  in  one  of  the  deep  bow-windows  en 
grossed  with  his  own  thoughts.  Suspicion  had  been  par 
tially  diverted  from  himself,  but  only  partially,  as  he  well 
knew,  to  return  like  a  tidal  wave,  deepened  and  intensified 
by  personal  animosity,  whenever  the  facts  he  had  thus  far 
so  carefully  concealed  should  become  known.  He  gave 
little  thought  to  this,  however,  except  as  it  influenced  him 
in  planning  his  course  of  action  for  the  next  few  days. 

He  was  aroused  from  his  revery  by  the  sound  of  ap 
proaching  steps,  and,  turning,  met  Mr.  Whitney. 

"Ah,  Mr.  Scott,  I  was  just  looking  for  you.  I  thought 
possibly  you  had  slipped  back  to  the  city  with  the  crowd. 
I  wanted  to  say,  Mr.  Scott,  that,  if  it  will  be  agreeable  to 
you,  I  wish  you  would  remain  at  Fair  Oaks  for  the  next 
few  days,  or  weeks,  as  the  case  may  be.  Mr.  Ralph 
Mainwaring  has  retained  my  services  to  aid  in  securing 
his  title  to  the  estate,  and  the  will  having  been  destroyed, 
complications  are  likely  to  arise,  so  that  it  may  take  some 
time  to  get  matters  adjusted.  Much  of  the  business  will, 
of  necessity,  have  to  be  transacted  here,  as  all  of  Mr. 

106 


BEHIND  THE   SCENES 

Mainwaring's  private  papers  are  here,  and  if  you  will  stay 
and  help  us  out  I  will  see,  of  course,  that  your  salary  goes 
right  on  as  usual." 

An  excuse  for  remaining  at  Fair  Oaks  was  what  Scott 
particularly  desired,  but  he  replied  indifferently,  "If  it 
will  accommodate  you,  Mr.  Whitney,  I  can  remain  for  a 
few  days. ' ' 

"Very  well.  I  cannot  say  just  how  long  we  may  need 
you,  though  I  anticipate  a  long  contest. ' ' 

' '  Against  Mrs.  LaGrange  ?' ' 

"Yes;  though  she  has,  in  my  opinion,  no  legal  right 
whatever,  yet  she  will  make  a  hard  fight,  and  with  that 
trickster  Hobson  to  help  her  with  his  chicanery,  it  is  liable 
to  take  some  time  to  beat  them." 

"You  expect  to  win  in  the  end,  however?" 

"Certainly;  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  Ralph  Main- 
waring  will  win  the  case.  He  will  get  the  property  either 
for  his  son  or  for  himself.  We  are  first  going  to  try  to 
have  the  will  upheld  in  the  courts.  Failing  in  that,  the 
property  will,  of  course,  be  divided  between  the  nearest 
heirs,  Ralph  Mainwaring  and  a  younger  bachelor  brother ; 
in  which  event,  the  whole  thing  will,  in  all  probability, 
finally  revert  to  his  son  Hugh. ' ' 

"  Mr.  Whitney,  what  is  your  opinion  of  Mrs.  LaGrange's 
story  of  a  private  marriage  ?' ' 

The  attorney  shook  his  head  decidedly.  "  One  of  her 
clever  lies;  but  if  she  ever  undertakes  to  tell  that  little 
romance  in  court,  I'll  tear  it  all  to  shreds.  She  never  was 
married  to  Hugh  Mainwaring;  but,"  he  added,  slowly, 
"I  may  as  well  tell  you  that  Walter  was  his  son.  Mr. 
Mainwaring  the  same  as  admitted  that  to  me  once ;  but  I 
am  certain  that,  aside  from  that  fact,  that  woman  had 
some  terrible  hold  on  him,  though  what  I  never  knew. 
By  the  way,  Mr.  Scott,  do  you  know  anything  of  the 

107 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

particulars  of  that  transaction  to  which  those  letters  re 
ferred  and  to  which  Hobson  alluded  to-day  ?' ' 

"Yes,  sir." 

Mr.  Whitney  looked  keenly  at  the  young  man.  "You 
obtained  your  knowledge  originally  from  other  sources 
than  Mr.  Mainwaring's  correspondence,  did  you  not?" 

"Yes,  sir." 

' '  I  thought  so.  Do  you  know,  Mr.  Scott,  I  would 
denounce  the  whole  thing  as  a  lie,  a  scheme  of  that 
adventuress,  or  that  impostor,  Hobson,  or  both,  by  which 
they  hope  to  gain  some  hold  on  the  heirs,  were  it  not  that, 
from  your  manner,  I  have  been  convinced  that  you  have 
some  personal  knowledge  of  the  facts  in  the  case, — that 
you  know  far  more  than  you  have  yet  told." 

Mr.  Whitney  paused,  watching  the  young  secretary 
closely,  but  there  was  no  reply,  and,  with  all  his  pene 
tration,  the  attorney  could  read  nothing  in  the  immobile 
face  before  him.  He  continued, — 

"Whatever  that  transaction  may  have  been,  I  wish  to 
know  nothing  about  it.  I  was  much  attached  to  Mr. 
Mainwaring  and  respected  him  highly,  and  I  want  to 
respect  his  memory ;  and  I  will  tell  you  frankly  what  I 
most  dread  in  this  coming  contest.  I  expect  nothing  else 
but  that  either  that  woman  or  Hobson  will  drag  the  affair 
out  from  its  hiding-place,  and  will  hold  it  up  for  the 
public  to  gloat  over,  as  it  always  does.  I  hate  to  see  a 
man's  reputation  blackened  in  that  way,  especially  when 
that  man  was  my  friend  and  his  own  lips  are  sealed  in 
death." 

"It  is  a  pity,"  said  Scott,  slowly;  "but  if  one  wishes 
to  leave  behind  him  an  untarnished  reputation,  he  must 
back  it  up,  while  living,  with  an  unblemished  character. ' ' 

"Well,"  said  the  attorney,  tentatively,  after  another 
pause,  "Mr.  Mainwaring's  character,  whatever  it  may 

108 


BEHIND   THE   SCENES 

have  been  before  we  were  associated  with  him,  certainly 
had  no  effect  upon  your  life  or  mine,  hence  I  feel  that  it  is 
nothing  with  which  we  are  directly  concerned ;  and  I  be 
lieve,  in  fact  I  know,  that  it  will  be  for  your  interest,  Mr. 
Scott,  if  you  say  nothing  regarding  whatever  knowledge 
you  may  have  of  the  past. ' ' 

Mr.  Whitney,  watching  the  effect  of  his  words,  suddenly 
saw  an  expression  totally  unlike  anything  he  had  ever  seen 
on  the  face  of  the  secretary,  and  yet  strangely  familiar. 

Scott  turned  and  faced  him,  with  eyes  cold  and  cynical 
and  that  seemed  to  pierce  him  through  and  through, 
remarking,  intones  of  quiet  irony,  "I  am  greatly  obliged 
for  your  advice,  Mr.  Whitney,  regarding  my  interests,  but 
it  is  not  needed.  Furthermore,  I  think  all  your  thought 
and  attention  will  be  required  to  look  after  the  interests  of 
Ralph  Mainwaring,"  and  without  waiting  for  reply,  he 
stepped  through  one  of  the  low,  old-fashioned  windows 
opening  upon  the  veranda  and  disappeared,  leaving  the 
attorney  alone. 

"By  George,  but  that  was  cool !"  ejaculated  the  latter. 
' '  And  that  look ;  where  have  I  seen  it  ?  I  believe  that 
Ralph  Mainwaring  is  more  than  half  right  after  all,  and 
there  is  something  back  of  all  this !" 

So  absorbed  was  he  in  his  own  reflections  as  to  be  wholly 
unaware  of  the  presence  of  the  detective  in  the  hall,  near 
the  doorway,  where  he  had  paused  long  enough  to  witness 
the  parting  between  Scott  and  the  attorney,  and  who  now 
passed  quietly  up-stairs,  remarking  to  himself,  "Whitney 
is  pretty  sharp,  but  he's  more  than  got  his  match  there. 
That  young  fellow  is  too  deep  for  him  or  any  of  the  rest 
of  'em,  and  he's  likely  to  come  out  where  they  least  expect 
to  find  him." 

Half  an  hour  later,  Mr.  Merrick,  stepping  from  the 
private  library  into  the  upper  southern  hall,  heard  the 

109 


THAT    MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

sound  of  voices,  which,  from  his  familiarity  with  the  rooms, 
he  knew  must  proceed  from  Mrs.  LaGrange's  parlor.  He 
cautiously  descended  the  stairs  to  the  lowest  landing,  in 
which  was  a  deep  window.  The  shutters  were  tightly 
closed,  and,  concealing  himself  behind  the  heavy  curtains, 
he  awaited  developments.  He  was  now  directly  opposite 
the  door  of  the  parlor,  and  through  the  partially  open 
transom  he  could  hear  the  imperious  tones  of  Mrs.  La- 
Grange  and  the  soft,  insinuating  accents  of  Hobson.  For 
a  while  he  was  unable  to  distinguish  a  word,  but  the  varia 
tions  in  Hobson' s  tones  indicated  that  he  was  not  seated, 
but  walking  back  and  forth,  while  Mrs.  LaGrange's  voice 
betrayed  intense  excitement  and  gradually  grew  louder. 

"You  are  not  altogether  invulnerable,"  Merrick  heard 
her  say,  angrily.  "You  were  an  accessory  in  that  affair, 
and  you  cannot  deny  it  ?' ' 

Hobson  evidently  had  paused  near  the  door,  as  his  reply 
was  distinctly  audible.  ' '  You  have  not  an  atom  of  proof, 
as  you  well  know ;  and  even  if  you  had,  our  acquaintance, 
my  dear  madam,  has  been  too  long  and  of  too  intimate  a 
nature  for  you  to  care  to  attempt  any  of  your  little  tricks 
with  me.  You  play  a  deep  game,  my  lady,  but  I  hold  the 
winning  hand  yet." 

"If  you  are  dastardly  enough  to  threaten  me,  I  am  not 
such  a  coward  as  to  fear  you.  I  have  played  my  cards 
better  than  you  know, ' '  she  answered,  defiantly. 

"My  dear  lady,"  Hobson  replied,  and  the  door-knob 
turned  slightly  under  his  hand,  "those  little  speeches 
sound  very  well,  but  we  both  understand  each  other  per 
fectly.  You  want  my  sen-ices  in  this  case  ;  you  must  have 
them ;  and  I  am  willing  to  render  them ;  but  it  is  useless 
for  you  to  dictate  terms  to  me.  I  will  undertake  the  case  in 
accordance  with  your  wishes,  but  only  upon  the  conditions 
mentioned." 

no 


BEHIND   THE    SCENES 

The  reply  was  inaudible,  but  was  evidently  satisfactory 
to  Hobson,  for,  as  he  opened  the  door,  there  was  a  leer  of 
triumph  on  his  face.  He  glanced  suspiciously  about  the 
hall,  and,  on  reaching  the  door,  turned  to  Mrs.  LaGrange, 
who  had  accompanied  him,  saying,  in  his  smoothest  tones, — 

' '  I  shall  be  out  again  in  two  or  three  days.  Should  you 
wish  to  see  me  before  that  time,  you  can  telephone  to  my 
office  or  send  me  word. ' ' 

She  bowed  silently  and  he  took  his  departure,  but  as  she 
returned  to  her  room,  she  exclaimed,  fiercely,  "Craven! 
Let  me  but  once  get  my  rights  secured,  and  he  will  find 
whether  I  stand  in  fear  of  him  !" 

Having  taken  leave  of  Mrs.  LaGrange,  Hobson  carefully 
avoided  the  front  part  of  the  house  and  grounds,  taking 
instead  the  gravelled  walk  leading  through  the  grove 
towards  the  lake  in  the  rear  and  out  upon  the  side  street. 
As  he  was  hurrying  along  this  rather  secluded  avenue,  he 
was  suddenly  confronted  by  Scott.  Although  strangers  to 
each  other,  Hobson  instantly  conjectured  that  this  must  be 
the  secretary  who  had  betrayed  such  familiarity  with  the 
correspondence  which  had  passed  between  himself  and 
Hugh  Mainwaring,  and  that  it  might  be  to  his  own  interest 
to  form  the  acquaintance  of  the  young  man. 

Quick  as  thought  he  drew  from  his  pocket  a  card,  and, 
pausing  suddenly  in  his  rapid  walk,  said,  with  a  profound 
bow, — 

' '  I  beg  pardon  ;  I  cannot  be  mistaken  ;  have  I  not  the 
pleasure  of  addressing  Mr.  Scott  ?' ' 

"That  is  my  name,"  replied  the  secretary,  coldly. 

' '  I  beg  you  will  accept  this  card ;  and  allow  me  to 
suggest  that  you  may  find  it  conducive  to  your  interests  to 
call  upon  me  at  the  address  named,  if  you  will  take  the 
trouble  to  do  so." 

Scott  glanced  from  the  card  to  the  speaker,  regarding 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

the  latter  with  close  scrutiny.  "You  seem  very  solicitous 
of  the  interests  of  a  stranger,  as  it  is  not  to  be  presumed 
that  you  have  any  ulterior  motive  in  making  this  sug 
gestion.  ' ' 

Hobson  appeared  to  ignore  the  sarcasm.  "It  is  barely 
possible,"  he  continued,  in  his  most  ingratiating  tones, 
"  that  I  may  be  in  possession  of  facts  which  it  would  be  to 
your  advantage  to  learn." 

"In  case  you  are,  I  suppose,  of  course,  you  would 
impart  them  to  me  simply  out  of  pure  disinterestedness, 
without  a  thought  of  pecuniary  compensation  ?' ' 

Hobson  winced  and  glanced  nervously  about  him.  "I 
must  hasten,"  he  said;  "I  cannot  stop  for  explanations; 
but  you  will  find  me  in  my  office  at  two  o'  clock  to-morrow, 
if  you  care  to  call.  Meantime,  my  young  friend,  I  am  not 
perhaps  as  mercenary  as  you  think,  and  I  may  be  able  to 
be  of  great  assistance  to  you, ' '  and  with  a  final  bow,  the 
man  hastily  disappeared  around  a  turn  of  the  winding 
walk. 

Scott  proceeded  in  the  opposite  direction  in  a  deep 
study.  "Is  it  possible,"  he  soliloquized,  "  that  that  crea 
ture  is  on  my  track  and  has  any  proposition  to  make  to 
me?  Or,  is  he  afraid  that  I  know  his  secret,  and  that  I 
may  deprive  him  of  his  hold  upon  the  Mainwarings? 
More  likely  it  is  the  latter.  A  week  ago  I  was  looking 
for  that  man,  and  would  probably  have  endeavored  to 
make  terms  with  him,  though  it  would  have  involved  an 
immense  amount  of  risk,  for  a  cast-iron  contract  wouldn't 
hold  him,  and  his  testimony  would  be  worth  little  or 
nothing,  one  way  or  the  other."  Scott  glanced  again  at 
the  address  on  the  card.  "  Not  a  very  desirable  locality  ! 
It  probably  suits  him  and  his  business,  though.  I  believe 
I  will  give  the  scoundrel  a  call  and  see  what  I  can  draw 
out  of  him." 


BEHIND   THE   SCENES 

Dinner  was  announced  as  Scott  returned  to  the  house, 
and  a  number  of  circumstances  combined  to  render  the 
meal  far  pleasanter  and  more  social  than  any  since  the 
death  of  the  master  of  Fair  Oaks.  Mr.  Merrick  was 
nowhere  to  be  found,  and  the  slight  restraint  imposed  by 
his  presence  was  removed.  Mrs.  LaGrange  and  her  son 
were  also  absent,  preferring  to  take  their  meals  privately  in 
an  adjoining  room  which  Hugh  Mainwaring  had  often  used 
as  a  breakfast-room.  The  silence  and  frigidity  which  had 
lately  reigned  at  the  table  seemed  to  have  given  place  to 
almost  universal  sociability,  though  Ralph  Mainwaring' s 
face  still  wore  a  sullen  scowl. 

As  Mr.  Whitney  met  the  secretary,  his  sensitive  face 
flushed  at  the  remembrance  of  their  late  interview,  and  he 
watched  the  young  man  with  evident  curiosity.  Scott  was 
conscious,  however,  of  an  increased  friendliness  towards 
himself  on  the  part  of  most  of  the  guests,  but  feeling  that 
it  was  likely  to  prove  of  short  duration,  he  remained  non 
committal  and  indifferent.  As  they  left  the  table,  Miss 
Carleton  rallied  him  on  his  appearance. 

"  Mr.  Scott,  you  are  a  mystery  !" 

"Why  so,  Miss  Carleton,  if  you  please?"  he  asked, 
quickly. 

"Just  now,  when  everybody's  spirits  are  relaxing  after 
that  horrible  inquest,  you  look  more  serious  and  glum  than 
I  have  ever  seen  you.  I  threw  myself  into  the  breach  this 
afternoon  to  rescue  you  from  the  enemy's  grounds,  whither 
you  had  been  carried  by  the  sensational  statements  of  Mrs. 
LaGrange  and  the  coachman  and  chambermaid,  and  I  have 
not  even  seen  you  smile  once  since.  Perhaps,"  she  added, 
archly,  "you  didn't  care  to  be  rescued  by  a  woman,  but 
would  have  preferred  to  make  your  own  way  out." 

"No,"  said  Scott,  smiling  very  brightly  now;  "I'll 
not  be  so  ungrateful  as  to  say  that,  though  I  believe  I  am 

"3 


THAT    MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

generally  able  to  fight  my  own  battles ;  but  I  will  confess  I 
was  somewhat  disappointed  this  afternoon  when  you  gave 
your  testimony." 

"  How  could  that  be?"  she  inquired,  greatly  surprised. 

"Up  to  that  time  I  had  flattered  myself  that  I  had  one 
friend  who  had  faith  in  me,  even  though  circumstances 
conspired  against  me.  I  discovered,  then,  that  it  was  no 
confidence  in  me,  but  only  a  knowledge  of  some  of  the 
facts,  that  kept  her  from  turning  against  me  like  the  rest." 

Scott  spoke  in  serio-comic  tones,  and  Miss  Carleton 
looked  keenly  in  his  face  to  see  if  he  were  jesting. 

"No;  you  are  mistaken,  Mr.  Scott,"  she  said,  slowly, 
after  a  pause.  "My  confidence  in  you  would  have  been 
just  as  strong  if  I  had  known  nothing  of  the  facts." 

"Thank  you;  I  am  very  glad  to  hear  that,"  he  an 
swered.  Then  added,  gently,  "Would  it  be  strong 
enough  to  stand  a  far  heavier  strain  than  that,  if  it  were 
necessary  ?' ' 

His  tones  were  serious  now,  and  she  regarded  him  in 
quiringly  for  a  moment  before  speaking ;  then  seeing 
young  Mainwaring  approaching  with  his  sister  and  Miss 
Thornton,  she  replied,  in  low  tones, — 

' '  I  have  no  idea  to  what  you  refer,  Mr.  Scott,  and  I 
begin  to  think  you  are  indeed  a  'mystery;'  but  you  can 
be  assured  of  this  much  :  I  would  never,  under  any  circum- 
cumstances,  believe  you  capable  of  anything  false  or  dis 
honorable.  ' ' 

Scott's  eyes  expressed  his  gratification  at  these  words, 
and  he  would  then  have  withdrawn,  but  neither  Miss  Carle- 
ton  nor  young  Mainwaring  gave  him  an  opportunity  to  do 
so  without  seeming  discourteous.  Both  drew  him  into  con 
versation  and  found  him  exceedingly  entertaining,  though 
reserved  concerning  himself.  Isabel  Mainwaring  still  held 
herself  aloof  and  took  little  part  in  the  conversation,  but 

114 


BEHIND   THE   SCENES 

to  make  amends  for  this  Miss  Thornton  bestowed  some  of 
her  most  winning  smiles  upon  the  handsome  young  secre 
tary,  her  large,  infantile  blue  eyes  regarding  him  with 
wondering  curiosity. 

After  a  pleasant  evening,  Scott  excused  himself  and 
retired  to  his  room ;  but  an  hour  or  two  later  there  was  a 
knock  at  his  door,  and  on  opening  it  he  saw  young 
Main  waring  in  smoking-cap  and  -jacket. 

"  I  say,  Scott,  won't  you  come  out  and  have  a  smoke? 
I've  got  some  fine  cigars,  and  it's  too  pretty  a  night  to 
stay  in  one's  room;  come  out  on  my  balcony  and  we'll 
have  a  bit  of  a  talk  and  smoke." 

Scott  readily  consented,  and  the  two  young  men  pro 
ceeded  to  the  balcony  upon  which  Mainwaring's  room 
opened,  where  the  latter  had  already  placed  two  reclining 
chairs  and  a  small  table  containing  a  box  of  his  favorite 
Havanas. 

For  a  few  moments  they  puffed  in  silence,  looking  out 
into  the  starlit  night  with  its  beauty  of  dim  outline  and 
mysterious  shadow.  Mainwaring  was  the  first  to  speak. 

"I  say,  Scott,  I'm  awfully  ashamed  of  the  way  that 
some  of  us,  my  family  in  particular,  have  treated  you 
within  the  last  day  or  two.  It  was  confoundedly  shabby, 
and  I  beg  your  pardon  for  my  share  in  it,  anyhow." 

"Don't  waste  any  regrets  over  that  matter,"  Scott  an 
swered,  indifferently;  "I  never  gave  it  any  thought,  and 
it  is  not  worth  mentioning." 

"  I  do  regret  it,  though,  more  than  I  can  tell,  and  I 
haven't  any  excuse  for  myself;  only  things  did  look  so 
deucedly  queer  there  for  a  while,  don't  you  know?" 

"Well,"  said  Scott,  pleasantly,  "we  are  not  out  of  the 
woods  yet,  and  there  is  no  telling  what  developments  may 
arise.  Things  might  'look  queer'  again,  you  know." 

"  That's  all  right.  I  know  a  gentleman  when  I  see  him, 
"5 


THAT  MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

unless  I  happen  to  lose  my  head,  and  that  doesn't  occur 
very  often.  Now  it's  different  with  the  governor.  He's 
got  so  confoundedly  wrought  up  over  that  will,  don't  you 
know,  that  he  can't  think  of  anything  else,  and  there's  no 
reason  in  him." 

"As  I  understand  it,"  remarked  Scott,  "Mr.  Main- 
waring  expects  to  win  the  property  in  any  case,  either  for 
you  or  for  himself. ' ' 

"Yes;  and  naturally  you  might  think  that  the  loss  of 
the  will  wouldn't  amount  to  much,  one  way  or  the  other; 
but  it's  like  this  :  the  governor  and  I  are  very  different ; 
I  know  we've  got  plenty  of  ducats,  and  that's  enough  for 
me,  but  not  for  him ;  he  is  ambitious.  It  has  always 
galled  him  that  we  were  not  in  the  direct  line  of  descent 
from  the  main  branch  of  the  Mainwarings ;  and  it  has  been 
his  one  great  ambition  since  the  death  of  old  Ralph  Main- 
waring,  Hugh's  father,  a  few  years  before  I  was  born,  to 
win  into  his  own  family  the  old  Mainwaring  estate.  He 
had  an  idea  that  Hugh  would  never  marry,  and  gave  me 
his  name,  hoping  that  I  would  be  made  his  heir.  Should 
the  governor  succeed  in  this  scheme  of  his,  he  will  imme 
diately  buy  back  the  Mainwaring  estate,  although  he  knows 
I  don't  care  a  rap  for  the  whole  thing,  and  we  will  then 
have  the  honor,  as  he  considers  it,  of  perpetuating  the 
old  family  line.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  property  goes 
to  the  nearest  heirs,  it  will  be  divided  between  him  and 
his  younger  brother.  Uncle  Harold  has  no  more  ambition 
than  I  have,  and  though  he  is  at  present  a  bachelor,  that  is 
no  guarantee  that  he  will  remain  one ;  and,  anyhow,  it 
isn't  likely  that  there  will  be  much  of  his  share  left  when 
he  gets  through  with  it.  So  you  see  how  much  importance 
the  governor  attached  to  that  will." 

"I  understand,"  said  Scott,  as  his  companion  paused. 
Then  he  added,  musingly,  "Your  uncle's  name  seems  to 

116 


BEHIND   THE   SCENES 

be  rather  unusual  among  the  Mainwarings ;  I  do  not  recall 
your  having  mentioned  it  before." 

"What,  Harold?  On  the  contrary,  it  is  the  great 
name  in  our  family,  especially  in  the  main  line.  I  would 
have  been  given  that  name  if  the  governor  had  not  been 
looking  out  for  Hugh  Mainwaring's  money.  There  was  a 
direct  line  of  Harolds  down  to  my  great-grandfather.  He 
gave  the  name  to  his  eldest  son,  but  he  died,  and  the  next 
one,  Ralph,  Hugh's  father,  took  up  the  line.  Guy,  my 
grandfather,  was  the  youngest." 

"  One  would  almost  have  thought  that  Hugh  Mainwaring 
would  have  borne  the  name  of  Harold, ' '  commented  Scott. 

Young  Mainwaring  smoked  for  a  moment  in  silence, 
then  said,  in  lower  tones,  "Old  Uncle  Ralph  had  a  son 
by  that  name." 

"Indeed!  Had  Hugh  Mainwaring  a  brother?"  Scott 
asked  in  surprise. 

"Yes,  there  was  a  brother,  but  he  died  a  great  many 
years  ago.  There  is  quite  a  story  connected  with  his  name, 
but  I  don't  know  many  of  the  particulars,  for  the  governor 
seldom  alludes  to  it.  I  know,  however,  that  Harold  was 
the  elder  son,  but  that  Uncle  Ralph  disinherited  him  for 
marrying  against  his  wishes,  and  afterwards  died  of  grief 
over  the  affair,  and  soon  after  his  father's  death  Harold  was 
lost  at  sea. ' ' 

"  You  say  he  married ;  did  he  leave  any  children  ?' ' 

"  No,  I  believe  he  had  no  children  ;  but  even  if  he  had, 
they  would  have  been  disinherited  also.  Uncle  Ralph  was 
severe;  he  would  not  even  allow  Harold's  name  to  be 
mentioned ;  and  Hugh  also  must  have  turned  against  his 
brother,  for  I  have  heard  that  he  never  spoke  of  him  or 
allowed  any  allusion  to  be  made  to  him. ' ' 

"Well,"  said  Scott,  after  a  pause,  "I  believe  Hugh 
Mainwaring's  life  was  far  from  happy." 

117 


THAT    MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

"  You  are  right  there.  I'll  never  forget  the  last  words  he 
ever  spoke  to  me  as  I  took  leave  of  him  that  night.  They 
were  to  the  effect  that  he  hoped  when  I  should  have  reached 
his  age,  I  would  be  able  to  look  back  over  a  happier  past 
than  his  had  been.  It  is  my  opinion,  too,  that  that  woman 
was  the  cause  of  his  unhappiness,  and  I  believe  she  is  at 
the  bottom  of  all  this  trouble." 

Their  conversation  had  drifted  to  the  mystery  then  sur 
rounding  them,  and  for  more  than  an  hour  they  dwelt  on 
that  subject,  advancing  many  surmises,  some  strangely  im 
probable,  but  none  of  which  seemed  to  bring  them  any 
nearer  a  solution  of  the  problem. 

"  My  first  visit  to  this  country  has  proved  an  eventful 
one, ' '  said  young  Mninwaring,  as,  at  a  late  hour,  they 
finally  separated  for  the  night,  ' '  and  I  don' t  know  yet  how 
it  may  terminate;  but  there's  one  thing  I  shall  look  back 
upon  with  pleasure,  and  that  is  my  meeting  with  you ;  and 
I  hope  that  from  this  time  on  we  will  be  friends ;  and  that 
this  friendship,  begun  to-night,  will  be  renewed  in  old 
England  many  a  time." 

"Are  you  not  rather  rash,"  Scott  inquired,  slowly, 
"considering  how  little  we  know  of  each  other,  the  cir 
cumstances  under  which  we  have  met,  and  the  uncertainty 
of  what  the  future  may  reveal?" 

"No;  I'm  peculiar.  When  I  like  a  fellow,  I  like  him; 
and  I've  been  studying  you  pretty  closely.  I  don't  think 
we  need  either  of  us  be  troubled  about  the  future;  but  I'm 
your  friend,  Scott,  and,  whatever  happens,  I'll  stand  by 
you. ' ' 

"  So  be  it,  then,  Hugh, ' '  replied  the  secretary,  clasping 
the  hand  of  the  young  Englishman  and,  for  the  first  time, 
calling  him  by  name.  ' '  I  thank  you,  and  I  hope  you  will 
never  go  back  on  that. ' ' 

118 


CHAPTER    XI 

SKIRMISHING 

ON  the  following  morning  the  gentlemen  at  Fair  Oaks 
were  astir  at  an  unusually  early  hour,  and  immediately  after 
breakfast  held  a  brief  conference.  It  was  decided  to  offer 
a  heavy  reward  for  the  apprehension  of  the  murderer  of 
Hugh  Mainwaring,  while  a  lesser  reward  was  to  be  offered 
for  information  leading  to  identification  and  arrest  of  the 
guilty  party.  Preparations  were  also  to  be  made  for  the 
funeral,  which  would  take  place  the  next  day,  and  which, 
in  accordance  with  the  wishes  of  Ralph  Mainwaring,  was 
to  be  strictly  private. 

Their  conference  at  an  end,  Ralph  Mainwaring  ordered 
the  carriage  to  take  himself,  Mr.  Whitney,  and  the  secretary 
to  the  depot. 

1 '  I  believe  I  will  ride  down  with  you, ' '  said  Mr.  Merrick. 

"  Certainly;  plenty  of  room.     Going  to  the  city?" 

"Yes;  but  not  with  you  gentlemen.  We  will  part 
company  at  the  depot  and  I  will  take  another  car. ' ' 

"  How  are  you  getting  on,  Mr.  Merrick?"  inquired  Mr. 
Thorton. 

"As  well  as  can  be  expected,  all  things  considered," 
was  the  non-committal  reply. 

"Going  to  be  a  slow  case,  I'm  afraid,"  commented 
Ralph  Mainwaring,  shaking  his  head  in  a  doubtful  way, 
while  Mr.  Thornton  added  jokingly, — 

"We've  got  some  mighty  fine  fellows  over  home  there 
at  the  Yard ;  if  you  should  want  any  help,  Mr.  Merrick, 
I'll  cable  for  one  of  them." 

119 


THAT    MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

"  Thank  you,  sir,"  said  the  detective,  with  quiet  dignity ; 
"  I  don't  anticipate  that  I  shall  want  any  assistance ;  and  if 
I  should,  I  will  hardly  need  import  it  fr,om  Scotland  Yard." 

' '  Ha,  ha  !  That  all  depends,  you  know,  on  what  your 
man  is.  If  the  rascal  happens  to  have  any  English  blood 
in  him,  it  will  take  a  Scotland  Yard  chap  to  run  him 
down. ' ' 

"On  the  principle,  I  suppose,  of  'set  a  rogue  to  catch 
a  rogue,'  "  Merrick  replied,  smiling. 

He  had  scarcely  finished  speaking  when  Hardy  suddenly 
entered  the  room. 

"Beg  pardon,  sir,"  he  said,  addressing  Ralph  Main- 
waring;  "but  the  coachman  is  gone!  We've  looked 
everywhere  for  him,  but  he's  nowhere  about  the  place." 

"When  did  he  go?"  asked  Mr.  Whitney,  quickly. 

"Nobody  knows,  sir.  Joe,  the  stable-boy,  says  he 
hasn't  been  around  at  all  this  morning." 

"Bring  the  boy  here,"  said  Mr.  Mainwaring. 

There  was  instantly  recalled  to  every  one  present  the 
memory  of  Brown's  insolent  manner  at  the  inquest,  to 
gether  with  his  confused  and  false  statements.  In  a  few 
moments  Hardy  returned  with  the  stable-boy,  an  unkempt, 
ignorant  lad  of  about  fourteen,  but  with  a  face  old  and 
shrewd  beyond  his  years. 

"Are  you  one  of  the  servants  here?"  Mr.  Mainwaring 
inquired. 

"I  works  here,  ef  that's  wot  yer  mean ;  but  I  don't  call 
myself  nobody's  servant." 

"  How  did  it  happen  that  you  were  not  at  the  inquest?" 
he  demanded. 

"Didn't  got  no  invite,"  was  the  reply,  accompanied  by 
a  grin,  while  Hardy  explained  that  the  boy  did  not  belong 
to  the  place,  but  had  been  hired  by  the  coachman  to  come 
nights  and  mornings  and  attend  to  the  stable  work. 

120 


SKIRMISHING 

"What  do  you  know  about  this  Brown?"  inquired  Mr. 
Mainwaring,  addressing  the  boy. 

"Wai,  I  guess  he's  ben  a-goin'  it  at  a  putty  lively  gait 
lately." 

' '  You  mean  he  was  fast  ?' ' 

"  I  guess  that's  about  the  size  of  it." 

"When  did  you  see  him  last?" 

"Hain't  seen  nothin'  of  him  sence  las'  night,  an'  then 
he  was  sorter  crusty  an'  didn't  say  much.  I  come  down 
this  mornin'  an'  went  to  work, — he  allus  left  the  stable 
key  where  I  could  get  it, — but  I  hain't  seen  nor  heard 
nothin'  o'  him.  Me'n  him,"  with  an  emphatic  nod 
towards  Hardy,  "went  up  to  his  room,  but  he  warn't 
there,  nor  hadn't  ben  there  all  night." 

"Why  do  you  think  he  was  fast?" 

"Wai,  from  all  I've  hearn  about  him  I  guess  he's  ben 
goin'  with  a  kinder  hard  set  lately.  I've  seen  some  putty 
tough-lookin'  subs  hangin'  'round  the  stables.  There  was 
a  lot  of  'em  waitin'  for  him  Wednesday  night." 

"Wednesday  night!"  ejaculated  Mr.  Whitney.  "At 
what  time  ?  and  who  were  they  ?' ' 

' '  I  dunno  who  they  was,  but  they  was  hangin'  '  round 
about  eight  o'clock  waitin'  for  him  to  go  with  'em.  An' 
then  he's  had  lots  of  money  lately." 

"  How  do  you  know  this?' ' 

"I've  hearn  him  a-jinglin'  it  in  his  room;  an'  night 
afore  las'  I  clim'  up-stairs  and  peeked  in,  an'  he  had  a 
whole  pile  of  gold  pieces  'bout  that  high,"  measuring 
with  his  hands ;  ' '  but  he  see  me,  an'  he  said  he'  d  gimme 
a  whalin'  ef  he  catched  me  at  it  agin." 

"Did  you  watch  him  last  night?"  asked  Mr.  Main- 
waring. 

' '  Yas ;  he  acted  so  kinder  queer  that  I  waited  '  round  to 
see  what  he  was  goin'  to  do.  After  'twas  still  an'  he 

121 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

thought  I'd  gone,  he  come  down  an'  started  off  towards 
the  side  street.  Jes'  fer  fun  I  follered  him ;  an*  when  he 
got  to  the  lake  he  stopped  and  looked  all  'round,  as  ef  to 
make  sure  there  warn't  nobody  to  see  him,  an'  then  he 
takes  somethin',  I  couldn't  see  what,  out  from  under  his 
coat  an'  chucks  it  quick  into  the  lake,  an'  then  he  started 
on  a  run  down  towards  the  street. ' ' 

' '  Couldn'  t  you  see  what  he  threw  ?' ' 

"  No,  I  couldn't  see  what  'twas;  but  it  struck  the  water 
awful  heavy." 

"  Is  that  all  you  know  about  the  affair?" 

"Yas,  that' sail." 

"Wait  a  moment,"  said  Mr.  Merrick,  as  the  boy  turned 
to  leave  the  room.  "Can  you  tell  how  many,  or  what 
kind  of  looking  men  were  with  Brown  on  Wednesday 
night  ?' ' 

"There  was  three  of  'em.  One  was  a  big  feller  with 
kinder  squint  eyes,  the  other  two  was  ornery  lookin'  fellers ; 
one  of  'em  was  dark  like  a  furriner,  an'  t'other  one  had 
sorter  yeller  hair." 

"  How  long  were  they  there?" 

"About  half'n  hour,  I  guess.  They  was  all  gone  'fore 
nine  o'clock." 

"  Did  you  hear  anything  that  was  said?" 

"I  hearn  'em  talkin'  somethin'  about  the  boss." 

' '  Mr.  Mainwaring  ?' ' 

"  Yas.  He'd  made  a  kick  about  somethin'  or  'nuther 
that  afternoon,  an'  Brown  he  was  cussin'  mad,  an'  then 
when  they  went  away  I  hearn  one  of  'em  say  somethin' 
about  '  makin'  a  good  job  of  it. '  ' 

"How  was  this,  Hardy?"  inquired  Mr.  Whitney. 
"  Had  there  been  any  words  Wednesday  between  Mr. 
Mainwaring  and  the  coachman  ?' ' 

"Yes,  sir;  I  had  forgotten  it;  but  now  I  remember  that 


SKIRMISHING 

when  he  came  back  that  afternoon,  he  found  some  fault 
with  the  coachman,  and  Brown  was  very  insolent,  and 
then  Mr.  Mainwaring  threatened  to  discharge  him." 

"  Ton  my  soul !  I  should  say  here  was  something  worth 
looking  into,"  said  Mr.  Thornton,  as  the  boy  left  the 
room,  accompanied  by  Hardy. 

"A  great  pity  that  we  could  not  have  had  his  testimony 
at  the  inquest,"  commented  the  attorney.  "We  might 
then  have  cornered  Brown ;  but  I  was  not  aware  that  there 
was  such  a  person  employed  on  the  place. ' ' 

Meanwhile,  a  carriage  ordered  by  telephone  from  the 
Arlington  had  already  arrived  at  Fair  Oaks. 

"Well,"  said  Ralph  Mainwaring,  "the  carriage  is 
waiting.  We  had  better  proceed  to  the  depot ;  we  can 
talk  of  this  latest  development  on  our  way. ' ' 

"You  will  excuse  me,  gentlemen,"  said  Mr.  Merrick, 
quietly,  "  I  have  changed  my  mind,  and  will  postpone  my 
trip  to  the  city." 

"Struck  a  new  trail,  eh?"  queried  Ralph  Mainwaring, 
with  a  peculiar  expression,  as  he  paused  to  light  a  cigar. 

"On  the  contrary,  sir,  only  following  up  an  old  one," 
and,  with  a  somewhat  ambiguous  smile,  the  detective  with 
drew. 

The  coachman's  sudden  disappearance,  together  with  the 
facts  learned  from  the  stable-boy,  formed  the  subject  of 
discussion  for  the  next  half-hour  between  Ralph  Main- 
waring  and  the  attorney,  Scott  listening  with  a  thoughtful 
face,  although  taking  little  part  in  the  conversation.  Upon 
their  arrival  at  the  offices  of  Mainwaring  &  Co.  they  were 
given  a  cordial  greeting  by  Mr.  Elliott  and  Mr.  Chittenden, 
after  which  they  passed  on  to  the  elegant  private  offices  of 
Hugh  Mainwaring.  Mr.  Whitney  was  visibly  affected  as 
he  entered  the  familiar  rooms,  and  to  each  one  was  forcibly 
recalled  the  memory  of  their  meeting  a  few  days  before. 

123 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

A  brief  silence  followed,  and  then  in  subdued  tones  they 
began  to  discuss  the  business  which  had  now  brought  them 
there. 

At  about  two  o'clock  that  afternoon,  Scott  found  himself 
entering  an  ancient  and  dilapidated  looking  block  in  a 
rather  disreputable  part  of  the  city.  He  had  fulfilled  his 
appointment  with  Mr.  Sutherland,  and  after  an  hour's 
conversation  both  gentlemen  appeared  very  sanguine  re 
garding  the  case  under  consideration.  As  Scott  was  taking 
leave,  he  produced  Hobson's  card  and  related  the  particu 
lars  of  their  incidental  meeting  at  Fair  Oaks,  and  Hobson's 
urgent  invitation  to  call  upon  him  at  his  office. 

Mr.  Sutherland  laughed.  ' '  About  what  I  expected, ' ' 
he  said.  "It  was  evident  from  his  remarks  at  the  inquest 
that  some  one — probably  Mrs.  LaGrange — had  posted  him 
concerning  you,  and  he  is  afraid  you  are  onto  his  secret." 

"I  had  questioned  if  it  were  that,  or  whether  possibly 
he  might  be  onto  mine. ' ' 

"Not  at  all  probable,"  said  the  attorney,  after  a  mo 
ment's  reflection.  "If  he  really  understood  your  position, 
he  would  be  far  too  cunning  to  allow  you  to  get  sight  of 
him.  You  have  the  scoundrel  completely  in  your  power. ' ' 

"Yes,  as  much  as  he  is  in  anybody's  power;  but  it  is 
doubtful  if  any  one  can  hold  so  slippery  a  rascal  as  he. 
I  believe  I  will  give  him  a  call,  however." 

"It  would  do  no  harm,  taking  care,  of  course,  that  you 
give  him  no  information. ' ' 

"Oh,  certainly,"  said  Scott,  with  a  smile,  as  he  paused 
for  an  instant  in  the  doorway  ;  "  my  object  will  be  to  get, 
not  give,  information." 

"  His  object  will  probably  be  the  same,"  was  Mr.  Suther 
land's  parting  shot,  as  he  turned  with  a  laugh  to  his  desk. 

Scott,  having  ascended  a  narrow,  crooked  stairway, 
found  himself  in  a  long,  dark  hall,  poorly  ventilated,  and 

124 


HOIiSON    SILKNTI.Y    HECKONED    SCOTT 
TO    ENTER 


SKIRMISHING 

whose  filthy  condition  was  only  too  apparent  even  in  the 
dim  light.  Far  in  the  rear  he  saw  a  door  bearing  the 
words,  "  R.  Hobson,  Attorney."  As  he  pushed  open  the 
door,  a  boy  of  about  seventeen,  who,  with  a  cigarette  in 
his  mouth  and  his  feet  on  a  table,  sat  reading  a  novel, 
instantly  assumed  the  perpendicular  and,  wheeling  about, 
faced  Scott  with  one  of  the  most  villainous  countenances 
the  latter  had  ever  seen.  Something  in  Scott's  appearance 
seemed  to  surprise  him,  for  he  stared  impudently  without 
speaking.  After  silently  studying  the  face  before  him  for 
an  instant,  Scott  inquired  for  Mr.  Hobson. 

"  He  is  in,  sir,  but  he  is  engaged  at  present  with  a 
client,"  said  the  boy,  in  tones  which  closely  resembled 
Hobson' s.  "  I  will  take  in  your  card,  sir." 

The  boy  disappeared  with  the  card  into  an  adjoining 
room,  returning  a  moment  later  with  the  most  obsequious 
manners  and  the  announcement  that  Mr.  Hobson  would  be 
at  liberty  in  a  few  moments.  Scott  rightly  judged  that 
this  ceremony  was  merely  enacted  for  effect,  and  contented 
himself  with  looking  about  the  small,  poorly  furnished 
room,  while  the  office  boy  opposite  regarded  him  with  an 
undisguised  curiosity,  which  betrayed  that  this  client — if 
such  he  could  be  regarded — differed  greatly  from  the  usual 
class.  Young  and  untaught  though  he  were,  he  had  learned 
to  read  the  faces  about  him,  and  that  of  his  employer  was 
to  him  as  an  open  book,  and  the  expression  which  flashed 
into  Hobson' s  eyes  as  they  fell  upon  Scott's  card  indicated 
plainly  to  the  office  boy  that  in  this  instance  the  usual 
conditions  were  reversed,  and  the  attorney  stood  in  fear  of 
his  visitor. 

A  few  moments  later  the  door  of  the  next  room  opened 
noiselessly  and  Hobson,  attired  in  a  red  dressing-gown  and 
wearing  his  most  ingratiating  smile,  silently  beckoned  Scott 
to  enter.  With  a  quick  glance  the  latter  took  in  every 

125 


THAT    MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

detail  of  the  second  apartment.  It  was  somewhat  larger 
than  the  first,  but  the  furnishing  was  meagre  and  shabby  in 
the  extreme,  and,  with  the  exception  of  a  small  set  of 
shelves  containing  a  few  dilapidated  volumes,  there  were 
no  visible  signs  of  an  attorney's  office. 

Hobson  did  not  speak  until  he  had  carefully  closed  the 
door,  then  he  said,  in  low  tones, — 

"As  our  conversation  is  likely  to  be  of  a  confidential 
nature,  you  would  perhaps  desire  greater  privacy  than  can 
be  secured  here.  Step  this  way. ' ' 

He  opened  the  door  into  a  room  so  dark  and  so  thick 
with  stale  tobacco  smoke  that  at  first  Scott  could  discern 
nothing  clearly. 

"My  den!"  said  Hobson,  with  a  magnificent  flourish, 
and  Scott  stepped  within,  feeling,  he  afterwards  said,  as 
though  he  were  being  ushered  by  Mephistopheles  into  the 
infernal  regions,  and  this  impression  was  not  lessened  by 
the  first  objects  which  he  was  able  to  distinguish, — a  pair 
of  skulls  grinning  at  him  through  the  smoky  atmosphere. 

As  his  eyes  became  accustomed  to  the  dim  light  he 
noted  that  the  room  was  extremely  small,  with  only  one 
window,  which  opened  upon  the  blank  wall  of  an  adjoining 
building,  and  with  no  furniture,  save  an  enormous,  high-top 
desk  and  two  chairs.  One  of  the  latter  Hobson  placed 
near  the  window  for  his  visitor,  and  then  busied  himself 
for  a  moment  at  the  desk  in  hastily  concealing  what  to 
Scott  looked  like  some  paraphernalia  of  the  black  arts. 
Upon  the  top  of  the  desk  were  the  two  skulls  which  had 
first  attracted  Scott's  attention,  and  which  he  now  regarded 
rather  curiously.  Hobson,  following  his  glance,  said,  by 
way  of  explanation, — 

' '  Rather  peculiar  ornaments,  I  dare  say,  you  consider 
those,  Mr.  Scott ;  but  I  am  greatly  interested  in  phrenology 
and  devote  much  of  my  leisure  time  to  its  study.  It  is  not 

126 


SKIRMISHING 

only  amusing,  you  know,  but  it  is  of  great  assistance  in 
reading  and  understanding  my  fellow-men,  and  enables  me 
to  adapt  myself  to  my  clients,  so  to  speak. ' ' 

Having  satisfactorily  arranged  his  belongings,  Hobson 
locked  the  door,  and,  seating  himself  behind  his  desk, 
appeared  ready  for  business. 

"Well,  my  young  friend,"  he  began,  "I  rather  ex 
pected  you,  for  I  flatter  myself  that  I  understand  enough 
of  human  nature  to  know  that  there  are  very  few  who  will 
pass  by  an  opportunity  of  learning  something  for  the 
advancement  of  their  own  interests  or  the  betterment  of 
their  own  condition  in  life." 

"That  may  be  perfectly  natural,"  Scott  replied;  "but 
you  flatter  yourself  altogether  too  much  if  you  think  that  I 
have  come  here  with  any  expectation  that  you  can  advance 
my  interests  or  better  my  condition." 

"That  remains  to  be  seen.  Much  also  depends  upon 
yourself,  for  I  take  it  that  a  young  man  of  your  calibre  is 
not  without  ambition." 

Hobson  paused,  regarding  his  visitor  with  sharp  scrutiny, 
but  receiving  no  reply,  continued,  "  I  might  add,  that  to  a 
young  man  with  ambitious  designs  such  as  yours,  I  would 
probably  be  able  to  render  great  assistance." 

' '  I  am  not  aware  of  any  unusual  ambition  on  my  part. ' ' 

"  Oh,  no,  nothing  unusual.  You  simply  had  no  intention 
of  remaining  Hugh  Mainwaring's  secretary  any  longer  than 
was  necessary.  That  was  perfectly  natural,  perfectly  laud 
able,  my  young  friend,  and  I  admire  the  shrewdness  and 
foresight  with  which  you  set  about  to  accomplish  your 
designs.  At  the  same  time,  I  believe  I  am  in  a  position  to 
give  you  just  the  information  and  advice  you  need  in  order 
to  insure  your  success." 

Both  men  had  the  same  object  in  view.  Each  wished  to 
ascertain  what  the  other  knew  concerning  himself.  Scott, 

127 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

unable  to  determine  whether  Hobson  had  spoken  at  random 
or  with  an  inkling  of  the  facts,  answered,  coldly, — 

"  I  do  not  know  to  what  you  refer,  or  on  what  grounds 
you  base  the  inference  which  you  seem  to  have  drawn." 

"No?  Then  you  will  allow  me  to  remark,  Mr.  Scott, 
that  such  familiarity  as  yours  with  a  portion  of  Hugh 
Mainwaring's  private  correspondence,  extending  back  over 
a  period  of  fifteen  or  more  years,  taking  into  consideration 
the  facts  that  you  cannot  be  much  more  than  twenty-five 
years  of  age,  and  have  only  been  about  two  years  in  Mr. 
Mainwaring's  employ,  would  indicate  that  you  had  sought 
to  acquaint  yourself  with  some  facts  connected  with  your 
employer's  early  life  with  the  express  purpose  of  using  the 
same  to  your  own  advantage." 

"You  must  see  the  inconsistency  of  such  a  supposition, 
when  you  consider  that  I  have  been  in  possession  of  these 
facts  for  some  time — it  is  unnecessary  to  state  how  long — 
and  have  made  no  use  of  them  whatever. ' ' 

"Possibly,"  said  Hobson,  with  emphasis,  "your  knowl 
edge  of  the  facts  may  not  have  been  definite  enough  to 
warrant  your  use  of  them." 

His  voice  and  manner  unconsciously  betrayed  the  im 
portance  which  he  attached  to  Scott's  reply.  The  latter 
detected  this,  and  answered  evasively, — 

"It  is  sufficiently  definite  for  my  own  personal  satisfac 
tion  in  any  event." 

Hobson  shook  his  head.  "It  is  useless  to  evade  the 
point.  You  had  an  object  in  looking  up  that  correspond 
ence  ;  you  intended  to  make  a  good  thing  out  of  the  facts 
you  got  hold  of;  and,  if  your  information  is  sufficiently 
complete,  you  can  make  a  good  thing  out  of  them 
yet." 

"If  I  have  not  attempted  anything  of  that  kind  in  the 
past,  would  I  be  likely  to  try  it  at  this  late  day?"  Scott 

128 


SKIRMISHING 

asked,  with  the  air  of  one  who  is  open  to  any  available 
suggestion. 

Hobson  at  once  assumed  a  confidential  manner,  and, 
moving  a  little  nearer  his  visitor,  replied,  in  a  low  tone, — 

"  Look  here,  Mr.  Scott,  that's  just  why  I  wanted  to  meet 
you.  You  see  I  know  more  about  you  than  you  think. 
I've  taken  an  unusual  interest  in  you,  too;  and,  seeing  the 
little  game  you  were  playing,  and  knowing  that  I  held  the 
trump  card  myself,  I  naturally  would  like  to  take  a  hand 
and  help  you  out  at  the  same  time.  Now,  the  point  is 
just  this,  Mr.  Scott :  What  do  you  really  know  concerning 
the  transaction  referred  to  in  that  correspondence  ?  I 
suppose  you  are  familiar  with  all  the  letters  that  passed  on 
both  sides  ?' ' 

"Perfectly  so." 

"Certainly.  But  you  will  acknowledge,  Mr.  Scott,  that 
those  letters  were  expressed  in  very  guarded  terms,  and, 
with  the  exception  of  possibly  one  or  two,  gave  no  hint  of 
the  nature  of  that  transaction.  Remember,"  he  added, 
impressively,  ' '  I  have  an  exact  copy  of  the  correspondence 
on  both  sides,  and  no  one  could  ever  assume  any  statement 
or  admissions  that  were  not  there. ' ' 

' '  I  presumed  that,  of  course, ' '  said  Scott,  calmly. 

"Now,  my  young  friend,  let  us  get  down  to  the  actual 
knowledge  which  you  have  of  the  facts.  You  are,  I 
suppose,  aware  that  there  was  a  missing  will  involved  in 
the  case  ?' ' 

' '  I  am ;  and  that  one  or  two  of  your  letters  purported 
to  show  that  the  missing  will  was  destroyed  by  Hugh 
Mainwaring. ' ' 

"  Did  I  make  any  such  allegation?" 

"Not  directly;  but  your  allusions  and  references  would 
be  clear  to  any  one  having  a  knowledge  of  the  English 
statutes. ' ' 

9  129 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

Hobson  started,  and  inquired  quickly,  ' '  Are  you 
familiar  with  English  law  ?' ' 

"  I  made  myself  familiar  with  your  citations  and  refer 
ences  in  this  case." 

' '  I  see ;  you  have  indeed  made  a  study  of  the  case. 
Well,  Mr.  Scott,  permit  me  to  say  that  I  accused  Hugh 
Mainwaring  of  nothing  which  he  had  not  previously  con 
fessed  to  me  himself.  Have  you  any  knowledge  concerning 
that  will, — its  terms  or  conditions,  or  the  names  of  the 
testator  or  beneficiaries  ?' ' 

' '  There  was  nothing  in  the  correspondence  to  give  any 
clue  to  those  particulars.  I  could  only  gather  that  Hugh 
Mainwaring  had  defrauded  others  and  enriched  himself  by 
destroying  this  will." 

Hobson  looked  relieved.  "Without  doubt,  he  did; 
but  allow  me  to  call  your  attention  to  one  point,  Mr. 
Scott.  You  see  how  little  actual  knowledge  you  have  of 
this  affair.  There  are  others — Mrs.  LaGrange,  for  instance, 
and  the  mysterious  individual  whom  she  heard  conversing 
with  Mr.  Mainwaring  on  the  night  of  the  murder, — all  of 
whom  know  as  much  or  more  than  you;  and  while  this 
meagre  knowledge  of  the  case  might  perhaps  have  been 
sufficient  to  bring  to  bear  upon  Mainwaring  himself,  per 
sonally,  it  would  have  little  or  no  weight  with  those  with 
whom  we  would  now  have  to  deal.  You  know  nothing  of 
the  terms  of  the  will,  or  of  the  persons  named  as  benefici 
aries,  whom,  consequently,  Hugh  Mainwaring  defrauded. 
You  have  no  proof  that  he  destroyed  the  will.  In  fact, 
my  dear  young  friend,  you  could  produce  no  proof  that 
such  a  document  ever  existed  at  all ! " 

"Do  I  understand  you,  then,  that  those  letters,  Mr. 
Mainwaring's  included,  would  not  be  regarded  as  proof?" 
Scott  asked,  with  well-feigned  surprise. 

"Not  of  themselves  with  these  people;  I  know  them 
130 


SKIRMISHING 

too  well. ' '  Hobson  shook  his  head  decidedly,  then  con 
tinued,  in  oracular  tones,  ' '  Remember,  I  am  only  speaking 
of  your  chances  with  them.  Mainwaring's  letters  were 
very  guarded,  mine  scarcely  less  so.  They  would  have 
no  weight  whatever  with  men  like  Ralph  Mainwaring  or 
William  Thornton.  They  might  even  charge  you  with 
forging  the  whole  thing.  The  point  is  just  this,  Mr. 
Scott :  in  order  to  be  able  to  get  anything  from  these 
parties  you  must  have  complete  data,  absolute  proof  of 
every  statement  you  are  to  make ;  and  such  data  and 
proofs  are  in  the  possession  of  no  one  but  myself.  So  you 
see  I  am  the  only  one  who  can  assist  you  in  this  matter." 

"And  what  compensation  would  you  demand  for  'assist 
ing'  me?" 

"We  will  not  put  it  that  way,  Mr.  Scott,"  Hobson 
replied,  his  small,  malignant  eyes  gleaming  with  delight  at 
the  ease  with  which  his  prey  was  falling  into  his  clutches. 
"It  is  like  this:  Ralph  Mainwaring  and  Thornton  are 
prejudiced  against  me  ;  I  might  not  be  able  to  work  them 
as  successfully  as  I  could  wish,  but  you  and  I  could  work 
together  very  smoothly.  I  could  remain  invisible,  as  it 
were,  and  give  you  the  benefit  of  the  information  I  possess 
and  of  my  experience  and  advice,  and  you  could  then  suc- 
cessfuly  manipulate  the  wires  which  would  bring  in  the  ducats 
for  both  of  us.  What  do  you  say,  my  young  friend  ?' ' 

"Do  you  think  that  either  Ralph  Mainwaring  or  Mr. 
Thornton  would  care  enough  for  any  secrets  you  might  be 
able  to  disclose  to  pay  you  hush  money?" 

"I  object  to  the  term  of  'hush  money.'  I  am  merely 
trying  to  get  what  was  due  me  from  Hugh  Mainwaring. 
As  he  never  paid  me  in  full,  his  heirs  must.  Yes,  I  could 
work  them  after  they  return  to  England  and  set  up  in  style 
on  the  old  Mainwaring  estate.  They  would  be  rather 
sensitive  about  the  family  reputation  then." 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

"Where  are  the  beneficiaries  of  that  will  that  was 
destroyed  ?' '  Scott  suddenly  inquired. 

Hobson  looked  sharply  at  him.  "Dead,  long  ago. 
Why  do  you  ask  ?' ' 

' '  I  was  thinking  that  if  they  or  their  heirs  were  living, 
it  would  be  better  to  go  to  them  with  this  information. 
They  would  probably  pay  a  good  price  for  it." 

"You're  right,  they  would,"  Hobson  replied,  ap 
provingly  ;  "but  they  are  all  dead. ' ' 

"  Were  there  no  heirs  left  ?' ' 

"None  whatever,  more's  the  pity  !  However,  I've  got 
a  good  hold  on  these  English  chaps  and  will  make  them 
hand  over  the  sovereigns  yet. ' ' 

The  contempt  which  Scott  had  hitherto  concealed  aa 
Hobson  unfolded  his  plans  was  now  plainly  visible  on  his 
face  as  he  rose  from  his  chair. 

"  Don't  hasten,  my  young  friend,"  said  Hobson,  eagerly. 
"  Sit  down,  sit  down ;  we  have  not  laid  our  plans  yet." 

"No,  nor  will  we,"  was  the  reply.  "If  you  think  to 
make  a  cat's-paw  of  me  in  any  of  your  dirty,  contemptible 
pieces  of  work,  you  are  mistaken.  If  you  think  that  I 
came  here  with  any  intention  of  listening  for  one  moment 
to  any  of  your  vile  propositions,  you  are  mistaken.  I 
came  here  simply  to  satisfy  myself  on  one  point.  My 
errand  is  accomplished,  and  I  will  remain  no  longer. ' ' 

Hobson  had  sprung  to  his  feet  and  now  faced  Scott, 
barring  the  way  to  the  door,  while  fear,  anger,  defiance, 
and  hate  passed  in  rapid  succession  across  his  evil  counte 
nance,  making  his  appearance  more  demon-like  than  ever. 

"You  lie!"  he  exclaimed,  in  a  hoarse  whisper.  "I 
have  not  given  you  one  word  of  information  ! ' ' 

' '  No, ' '  Scott  interrupted,  ' '  you  have  given  me  no 
information,  and  you  could  give  me  none,  for  the  reason 
that  I  know  more  concerning  this  whole  affair  than  you  do. 

132 


SKIRMISHING 

I  also  have  knowledge  of  certain  other  matters  regarding 
one  Richard  Hobson,  alias  Dick  Carroll,  and  his  London 
adventures.' ' 

Hobson's  face  had  become  a  livid  hue,  and  Scott  de 
tected  a  sudden  movement  of  his  right  hand  towards  his 
desk. 

' '  None  of  that ! "  he  cried,  warningly,  at  the  same  time 
springing  quickly  upon  him  with  two  well-aimed  blows, 
one  of  which  knocked  a  revolver  from  Hobson's  hand, 
while  the  other  deposited  him  in  a  heap  upon  the  floor. 
While  the  latter  was  recovering  from  the  effect  of  the 
stunning  blow  he  had  received,  Scott  picked  up  the  re 
volver  and,  having  examined  it,  slipped  it  into  his  pocket, 
saying,— 

' '  I  will  keep  this  for  a  while  as  a  souvenir  of  our  inter 
view.  It  may  be  needed  as  evidence  later." 

Hobson  crawled  to  his  feet  and  stood  cowering  abjectly 
before  Scott,  rage  written  on  every  lineament  of  his  face, 
but  not  daring  to  give  it  expression. 

"  Who  in  the  devil  are  you,  anyway?"  he  growled. 

' '  That  is  none  of  your  business  whatever, ' '  Scott  replied, 
seizing  him  by  the  collar  and  dragging  him  to  the  door. 
' '  The  only  thing  for  you  to  do  is  to  unlock  that  door  as 
expeditiously  as  possible,  asking  no  questions  and  making 
no  comments." 

With  trembling  fingers  the  wretch  complied,  and  Scott, 
still  retaining  his  hold  upon  his  collar,  reached  the  door 
of  the  outer  room,  where,  with  a  final  shake,  he  released 
him. 

"Wait  a  moment,"  Hobson  whispered,  eagerly,  half- 
paralyzed  with  fear,  while  his  eyes  gleamed  with  malign 
hatred.  "You've  got  no  hold  on  me  by  anything  I've 
said,  and  you've  no  proof  of  that  Carroll  business,  either." 

Scott  looked  at  him  an  instant  with  silent  contempt. 
133 


THAT    MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

"You  cowardly  scoundrel!  all  I  have  to  say  to  you  at 
present  is,  be  careful  how  you  interfere  with  me  !  I'm 
only  sorry  I  soiled  my  hands  with  you,  but  I'll  do  it  again 
if  necessary ;  and  the  next  time  you  will  fare  worse  !"  and, 
opening  the  door,  he  passed  quickly  through  the  outer 
room,  conscious  of  the  amazed  stare  of  the  office  boy,  who 
had  overheard  his  last  words.  Hobson  did  not  attempt  to 
follow  him,  but  paced  up  and  down  his  room,  trembling 
with  fear  and  rage  combined,  and  vainly  striving  to  imagine 
who  his  visitor  might  be.  At  last  he  sat  down  to  his  desk 
and  began  to  write  rapidly,  muttering  to  himself, — 

"I  half  believe — only  that  he's  too  young — that  he  is 
some  hound  over  here  trying  to  scent  out  the  whole  thing. 
But,"  he  added,  with  an  oath,  "whoever  he  is,  if  he 
crosses  my  track  he'll  be  likely  to  follow  Hugh  Mainwaring 
before  long,  that's  all !" 


134 


CHAPTER    XII 

X-RAYS 

ON  the  morning  following  Scott's  interview  with  Hob- 
son,  he  awoke  at  an  early  hour,  vaguely  conscious  of  some 
disturbing  influence,  though  unable  to  tell  what  had 
awakened  him.  He  lay  for  a  moment  recalling  the  events 
of  the  preceding  day,  then  suddenly  remembered  that  this 
was  the  day  fixed  for  the  funeral  of  Hugh  Mainwaring. 
None  of  the  servants  were  astir  about  the  house,  but  Scott 
soon  became  conscious  of  the  sound  of  stealthy  movements 
and  subdued  voices  coming  through  the  open  window,  and, 
rising,  he  looked  out.  At  first  he  could  see  nothing  un 
usual.  It  was  just  sunrise,  and  the  river,  at  a  little  distance 
shimmering  in  the  golden  light,  held  him  entranced  by  its 
beauty.  Then  a  slight  rustling  in  the  shrubbery  near  the 
lake  attracted  his  attention.  The  golden  shafts  of  sunlight 
had  not  yet  reached  that  small  body  of  water,  and  it  lay 
smooth  and  unbroken  as  the  surface  of  a  mirror,  so  clear 
at  that  hour  that  one  could  easily  look  into  its  depths. 
Suddenly  a  light  boat  shot  out  from  the  side  nearest  the 
grove,  breaking  the  smooth  surface  into  a  thousand  rippling 
waves  of  light.  In  the  boat  were  two  men,  one  of  whom 
Scott  instantly  recognized  as  the  detective ;  the  other,  who 
was  rowing  and  had  his  back  towards  the  house,  seemed  to 
be  a  stranger.  Some  one  concealed  in  the  shrubbery 
called  to  the  boatmen,  whereupon  they  rowed  across  in 
that  direction,  stopping  a  few  yards  from  shore.  Here 
they  rested  a  few  moments  till  the  surface  was  again 
smooth,  when,  both  men  having  carefully  peered  into  the 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

depths  of  the  little  lake,  the  detective  proceeded  to  let 
down  a  drag  into  the  water. 

"By  George!"  Scott  ejaculated,  "the  sly  old  fox  is 
improving  the  opportunity,  while  every  one  is  asleep,  to 
drag  the  lake  in  search  of  whatever  the  coachman  threw  in 
there.  All  right,  my  dear  sir,  go  ahead  !  But  I'm  some 
what  interested  in  this  affair  myself,  and  I  don't  intend 
that  you  shall  monopolize  all  the  facts  in  the  case. ' ' 

Keeping  an  eye  on  the  boat,  he  dressed  quickly  and, 
letting  himself  out  at  the  front  entrance,  he  hastened  down 
the  walk  through  the  grove  to  the  edge  of  the  lake,  keeping 
himself  concealed  among  the  trees.  The  boat  was  moving 
slowly  back  and  forth,  and  was  now  in  such  a  position  that 
Scott  could  see  the  face  of  the  man  rowing,  who  proved  to 
be,  as  he  had  thought,  a  stranger.  On  the  other  side, 
seated  under  the  flowering  shrubs  and  trees  bordering  the 
lake,  was  Joe,  the  stable-boy,  watching  proceedings  with 
intense  interest.  With  a  smile,  the  young  secretary  fol 
lowed  his  example,  seating  himself  at  the  foot  of  an 
ancient  elm  whose  branches  drooped  nearly  to  the  ground. 

' '  All  right,  Mr.  Detective  ! "  he  said,  ' '  I  can  stay  as 
long  as  you.  If  you  fail  to  make  a  success  of  your  work 
this  morning  no  one  will  be  the  wiser,  but  in  case  you  find 
anything  I  propose  to  know  something  about  it  myself. ' ' 

The  sun  was  now  shining  brightly,  but  the  hour  was  yet 
so  early  that  there  was  little  danger  of  any  one  else  appear 
ing  on  the  scene,  especially  as  it  was  Sunday  morning. 

For  nearly  an  hour  Mr.  Merrick  and  his  companion 
rowed  slowly  back  and  forth  in  constantly  widening  circles, 
meeting  with  no  success  and  saying  little.  Suddenly, 
while  Scott  was  watching  the  face  of  the  stranger,  wonder 
ing  who  he  might  be,  he  heard  a  low  exclamation  and  saw 
that  the  drag  had  fastened  itself  upon  some  object  at  the 
bottom  of  the  lake.  He  watched  eagerly  as  they  drew  it 

•136 


X-RAYS 

to  the  surface,  and  could  scarcely  restrain  a  cry  of  astonish 
ment  as  he  saw  what  it  was,  but  before  either  of  the  men 
could  secure  it,  it  had  slipped  and  fallen  again  into  the 
water.  With  language  more  forcible  than  elegant,  the 
drag  was  again  lowered,  and  the  boat  once  more  began  its 
slow  trailing. 

This  time  they  had  not  so  long  to  wait  for  success. 
The  drag  was  brought  to  the  surface,  but  carrying  in  its 
clutches  an  entirely  different  object,  and  one  with  which 
the  young  secretary  was  totally  unfamiliar, — a  somewhat 
rusty  revolver. 

Mr.  Merrick's  back  was  now  towards  Scott,  but  the 
latter  saw  him  take  something  from  his  pocket  which  he 
seemed  to  compare  with  the  revolver,  at  the  same  time 
remarking  to  the  stranger,  who  was  watching  with  an 
appearance  of  great  interest, — 

' '  A  pretty  good  find,  Jim,  pretty  good  !  However, 
we'll  have  another  try  for  that  box,  whatever  it  is.  It 
may  amount  to  something  or  it  may  not,  but  it  will  do  no 
harm  to  make  a  trial." 

Having  let  down  the  drag  once  more,  he  glanced  at  the 
house,  then  at  his  watch,  saying,  "  No  signs  of  any  one 
astir;  we're  all  right  for  another  hour  yet." 

After  a  few  more  turns,  Scott  saw  them  suddenly  pulling 
in  the  ropes,  and  once  more  the  box  appeared,  rusty  and 
covered  with  slime,  but  still  familiar.  He  at  once  sprang 
to  his  feet  and  sauntered  carelessly  down  the  walk,  hum 
ming  a  tune  and  watching  the  occupants  of  the  boat  with 
an  air  of  mild  curiosity.  The  stranger  was  the  first  to 
see  him,  and  with  an  expression  of  evident  disgust  gave 
Merrick  warning  of  his  approach.  If  the  detective  felt 
any  annoyance  he  did  not  betray  it  as  he  turned  and 
nodded  to  Scott  in  the  most  nonchalant  manner  possible, 
as  though  dragging  the  lake  were  an  every-day  occurrence. 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

"You've  been  fishing,  I  see,"  said  Scott,  pleasantly. 
"  How  did  you  make  out?" 

"Well,  I've  made  this  find  which  you  see  here,"  an 
swered  Mr.  Merrick,  as  the  boat  headed  for  shore.  "I 
don't  know  yet  what  it  is,  but  it  has  not  lain  long  in  the 
water,  and  it  may  be  worth  looking  into. ' ' 

Scott  made  no  reply  until  the  detective  had  sprung 
ashore ;  then,  as  the  latter  proceeded  to  examine  the  box, 
leaving  his  companion  to  take  care  of  the  boat  and  drag, 
he  said,  in  a  low  tone, — 

' '  That  is  likely  to  prove  an  important  discovery,  Mr. 
Merrick." 

"  You  are  familiar  with  it  then?"  queried  the  latter. 

"I  have  seen  it  in  Mr.  Mainwaring's  safe.  That  was 
the  box  in  which  he  kept  the  old  jewels  that  were  stolen 
on  the  night  of  the  murder. ' ' 

Mr.  Merrick  whistled  softly  and  studied  the  box  anew. 
"Well,  there  are  no  jewels  in  it  now,  but  we  will  open  it. 
There  is  no  one  up  yet  to  let  us  into  the  house,  so  suppose 
we  go  to  the  stables ;  we'll  be  safe  there  from  intrusion." 

They  proceeded  to  the  stables,  and,  arriving  there,  Scott 
was  puzzled  to  see  Merrick' s  companion  at  work  and  evi 
dently  perfectly  at  home. 

"We  are  going  to  use  your  room  a  while,  Matthews," 
said  Merrick,  carelessly.  Then,  noting  the  surprise  on 
Scott's  face,  he  added,  "This  is  Matthews,  the  new  coach 
man,  Mr.  Scott.  I  thought  you  knew  of  his  coming." 

"At  your  service,  sir,"  said  Matthews,  respectfully 
lifting  his  cap  in  response  to  Scott's  greeting,  while  the 
latter  inquired,  as  he  and  the  detective  passed  up-stairs 
together, — 

"When  did  he  come?" 

"Yesterday  afternoon.  He  applied  for  the  position, 
and,  as  he  happened  to  be  an  acquaintance  of  mine,  Mr. 

138 


X-RAYS 

Mainwaring  hired  him  upon  my  recommendation.  Now, ' ' 
as  he  locked  the  door  of  the  room  they  had  entered,  "we 
will  open  this  box  as  quickly  as  possible.  I  suppose  there 
is  no  key  to  be  found,  and,  if  there  were,  the  lock  is  too 
rusty  to  work." 

With  the  aid  of  a  file  and  chisel  the  box  was  soon 
opened.  The  satin  linings  were  somewhat  water-soaked 
and  discolored,  and  the  box  appeared  to  be  empty,  but  on 
opening  an  inner  compartment  there  were  exposed  to 
view  a  pair  of  oddly  shaped  keys  and  a  blood-stained 
handkerchief,  the  latter  firmly  knotted  as  though  it  had 
been  used  to  bandage  a  wound  of  some  kind. 

"Ah!"  said  the  detective,  with  peculiar  emphasis,  ex 
amining  the  handkerchief,  which  was  of  fine  linen,  with 
the  initials  "  H.  M. "  embroidered  in  one  corner.  "Did 
Mr.  Mainwaring  carry  a  handkerchief  of  that  style  ?' ' 

' '  Yes ;  he  carried  that,  or  one  precisely  like  it,  the  last 
day  of  his  life." 

' '  Very  good  ! ' '  was  the  only  reply,  as  the  detective 
carefully  folded  and  pocketed  the  article  with  an  air  that 
indicated  that  he  wished  to  say  no  more  about  it.  "And 
these  keys,  do  you  recognize  them  ?' ' 

"They  were  Mr.  Mainwaring' s  private  keys  to  his 
library  and  the  southern  hall." 

"The  ones  the  valet  said  were  missing?" 

' '  The  same. ' ' 

Mr.  Merrick,  after  studying  them  curiously  for  a  mo 
ment,  consigned  them  to  his  pocket  also,  and  then  began 
a  careful  inspection  of  the  interior  of  the  box.  Scott 
watched  him  in  silence,  thinking  meanwhile  of  the  old 
document  which  he  had  found  hidden  away  in  its  depths, 
and  inwardly  rejoicing  that  it  had  not  been  left  to  be 
discovered  by  the  detective.  Nothing  in  Mr.  Merrick' s 
manner  or  expression  betrayed  the  nature  of  his  thoughts, 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

and,  so  long  as  he  chose  to  remain  silent,  Scott  refrained 
from  questioning  him. 

At  length  he  closed  the  box,  saying,  indifferently, 
"Well,  I  don't  know  as  there  is  any  reason  why  I  should 
detain  you  any  longer,  Mr.  Scott.  We  have  satisfied 
ourselves  as  to  the  contents  of  the  box,  and  you  have 
identified  the  articles.  For  the  present,  however,  I  would 
prefer  that  you  say  nothing  of  this. ' ' 

"Certainly,  Mr.  Merrick.  The  discovery,  whatever  its 
import,  is  your  secret,  and  I  shall  make  no  mention  of  it 
whatever. ' ' 

"I  don't  know  that  it  is  of  any  special  importance," 
said  the  detective,  carelessly,  as  they  prepared  to  descend 
the  stairs ;  ' '  but  it  only  confirms  the  opinion  that  I  have 
had  all  along. ' ' 

"Don't  you  think  that  this  tends  to  show  that  the 
murder  and  robbery  were  connected,  notwithstanding  Mr. 
Whitney's  theories  to  the  contrary?"  Scott  inquired,  as 
they  were  about  to  separate. 

"Possibly,"  replied  the  other,  gravely.  Then  added, 
with  a  smile,  "Mr.  Whitney  has  his  own  preconceived 
ideas  of  the  case  and  tries  to  adapt  the  circumstances  to 
suit  them,  when,  in  reality,  one  must  first  ascertain  what 
ever  facts  are  available  and  adjust  his  theories  accordingly. ' ' 

They  parted  company  at  the  door  of  the  stables,  but 
Scott  had  not  reached  the  house  when  the  detective,  with 
a  peculiar  smile,  returned  to  the  room  up-stairs,  and  once 
more  opening  the  box,  drew  forth  from  underneath  the 
satin  linings  a  folded  paper,  yellow  with  age  and  covered 
with  closely  written  lines,  which  he  read  with  great  interest, 
after  which  he  remained  absorbed  in  thought  until  aroused 
by  the  entrance  of  his  friend,  the  coachman. 

Several  hours  later  Scott  stood  alone  beside  the  casket 
of  the  murdered  man.  The  head  had  been  turned  slightly 

140 


X-RAYS 

to  one  side  and  a  spray  of  white  blossoms,  dropped  with 
seeming  carelessness  within  the  casket,  concealed  all  traces 
of  the  ghastly  wound,  their  snowy  petals  scarcely  whiter 
than  the  marble  features  of  the  dead. 

It  lacked  more  than  an  hour  of  the  time  set  for  the 
funeral.  None  of  the  few  invited  friends  would  arrive  for 
some  time  yet.  The  gentlemen  of  the  house  were  still  in 
the  hands  of  their  valets,  and  the  ladies  engrossed  with 
the  details  of  their  elegant  mourning  costumes.  Scott, 
knowing  he  would  be  secure  from  interruption,  had  chosen 
this  opportunity  to  take  his  farewell  look  at  the  face  of  his 
employer,  desiring  to  be  alone  with  his  own  thoughts 
beside  the  dead. 

With  strangely  commingled  emotions  he  gazed  upon  the 
face,  so  familiar,  and  yet  upon  which  the  death  angel  had 
already  traced  many  unfamiliar  lines,  and  as  he  realized  the 
utter  loneliness  of  the  rich  man,  both  in  life  and  in  death, 
a  wave  of  intense  pity  swept  across  heart  and  brain,  well- 
nigh  obliterating  all  sense  of  personal  wrong  and  injury. 

"  Unhappy  man!"  he  murmured.  "  Unloved  in  life, 
unmourned  in  death  !  Not  one  of  those  whom  you  sought 
to  enrich  will  look  upon  you  to-day  with  one-half  the 
sorrow  or  the  pity  with  which  I  do,  whom  you  have 
wronged  and  defrauded  from  the  day  of  my  birth  !  But 
I  forgive  you  the  wrong  you  have  done  me.  It  was  slight 
compared  with  the  far  greater  wrong  you  did  another, — 
your  brother — your  only  brother  !  A  wrong  which  no 
sums  of  money,  however  vast,  could  ever  repair.  What 
would  I  not  give  if  I  cOuld  once  have  stood  by  his  side, 
even  as  I  stand  by  yours  to-day,  and  looked  once  upon  his 
face, — the  face  of  your  brother  and  of  the  father  whom, 
because  of  your  guilt,  I  have  never  seen  or  known,  of 
whom  I  have  not  even  a  memory  !  Living,  I  could  never 
have  forgiven  you;  but  here,  to-day,  in  pity  for  your 

141 


THAT    MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

loveless  life  and  out  of  the  great  love  I  bear  that  father  in 
his  far-away  ocean  grave, — in  his  name  and  in  my  own, — 
I  forgive  you,  his  brother,  even  that  wrong  ! ' ' 

As  Scott  left  the  room,  he  passed  Mr.  Whitney  in  the 
hall,  who,  seeing  in  his  face  traces  of  recent  emotion, 
looked  after  him  with  great  surprise. 

"That  young  man  is  a  mystery  !"  he  soliloquized.  "A 
mystery  !  I  confess  I  cannot  understand  him. ' ' 

A  little  later  the  master  of  Fair  Oaks  passed  for  the  last 
time  down  the  winding,  oak-lined  avenue,  followed  by  the 
guests  of  the  place  and  by  a  small  concourse  of  friends, 
whose  sorrow,  though  unexpressed  by  outward  signs  of 
mourning,  was,  in  reality,  the  more  sincere. 

Mrs.  LaG range,  who,  as  housekeeper,  had  remained  at 
Fair  Oaks,  seemed,  as  the  last  carriage  disappeared  from 
view,  to  be  on  the  verge  of  collapse  from  nervous  prostra 
tion.  No  one  knew  the  mental  excitement  or  the  terrible 
nervous  strain  which  she  had  undergone  during  those  last 
few  days.  Many  at  the  funeral  had  noted  her  extreme 
pallor,  but  no  one  dreamed  of  the  tremendous  will  power 
by  which  she  had  maintained  her  customary  haughty  bear 
ing.  When  all  had  gone,  she  rose  and  attempted  to  go  to 
her  room,  but  in  the  hall  she  staggered  helplessly  and,  with 
a  low  moan,  sank  unconscious  to  the  floor.  The  screams  of 
the  chambermaid,  who  had  seen  her  fall,  summoned  to  her 
assistance  the  other  servants,  who  carried  her  to  her  room, 
where  she  slowly  regained  consciousness,  opening  her  eyes 
with  an  expression  of  terror,  then  closing  them  again  with 
a  shudder.  Suddenly  she  seemed  to  recall  her  surroundings ; 
with  a  great  effort  she  rallied  and  dismissed  the  servants, 
with  the  exception  of  the  chambermaid,  saying,  ' '  It  was 
nothing,  only  a  little  faintness  caused  by  the  heat.  The 
room  was  insufferably  close.  Say  nothing  of  this  to  the 
others  when  they  return. ' ' 

142 


X-RAYS 

With  Katie's  assistance,  she  exchanged  her  heavy  drese 
for  a  light  wrapper  of  creamy  silk,  and  soon  seemed  her 
self  again  except  for  her  unusual  pallor. 

' '  That  will  do,  Katie ;  I  shall  not  need  you  further. 
By  the  way,  did  Walter  go  with  the  others,  or  did  he 
remain  at  home  ?' ' 

"  Mr.  Walter  is  in  his  room,  ma'am  •  and  I  heard  Hardy 
say  that  he  was  packing  up  his  clothes  and  things. ' ' 

Mrs.  LaGrange  betrayed  no  surprise,  no  emotion  of  any 
kind.  ''Say  to  him  that  I  would  like  to  see  him  in  my 
room  at  once. ' ' 

The  girl  disappeared,  leaving  Mrs.  LaGrange  to  her  own 
reflections,  which  seemed  anything  but  pleasant.  The  look 
of  terror  returned  to  her  face;  she  clinched  her  hands 
until  the  jewels  cut  deeply  into  the  white  fingers;  then, 
springing  to  her  feet,  she  paced  the  room  wildly  until  she 
heard  the  footsteps  of  her  son  approaching,  when  she 
instantly  assumed  her  usual  composure. 

Walter  LaGrange  had  left  Fair  Oaks  immediately  at  the 
close  of  the  inquest,  and  had  not  returned  except  to  be 
present  at  the  funeral,  and  even  there  his  sullen  appearance 
had  caused  general  remark.  Very  little  love  had  ever 
existed  between  mother  and  son,  for  neither  had  a  nature 
capable  of  deep  affection,  but  never  until  now  had  there 
been  any  open  rupture  between  them.  Though  closely 
resembling  each  other,  he  lacked  her  ability  to  plan  and 
execute,  and  had  hitherto  been  content  to  follow  her  coun 
sels.  But,  as  he  now  entered  his  mother's  room,  a  glance 
revealed  to  her  that  her  authority  and  influence  over  him 
were  past. 

"You  sent  for  me,  I  believe.  What  do  you  want?"  he 
asked,  as  she  looked  at  him  without  speaking. 

"Do  you  consider  your  conduct  becoming  towards  a 
mother  who  is  risking  everything  for  you  and  your  interests?' ' 


THAT    MAIN  WARING    AFFAIR 

"Oh,  my  interests  be  hanged!"  he  exclaimed,  petu 
lantly.  "I  don't  see  that  you've  accomplished  much  for 
my  interests  with  all  your  scheming.  A  week  ago  I  could 
hold  up  my  head  with  any  of  the  fellows.  I  was  supposed 
to  be  a  relative  of  Hugh  Mainwaring's,  with  good  prospects, 
and  that  I  would  come  in  for  a  good  round  sum  whenever 
the  old  fellow  made  his  will, — just  as  I  did.  Now  that's 
gone,  and  everything's  gone;  I  haven't  even  a  name 
left!" 

"Walter  LaG range,  what  do  you  mean?  Do  you  dare 
insinuate  to  your  own  mother ' ' 

"Why  don't  you  call  me  Walter  Mainwaring?"  he 
sneered.  "As  to  insinuations,  I  have  to  hear  plenty  of 
'em.  Last  night  I  was  black-balled  at  one  of  the  clubs 
where  my  name  had  been  presented  for  membership,  and  a 
lot  of  the  fellows  have  cut  me  dead." 

"Walter,  listen  to  me.  You  are  Hugh  Mainwaring's 
son  and  I  was  his  wife.  I  will  yet  compel  people  to 
recognize  us  as  such  ;  but  you  must ' ' 

"Tell  me  one  thing,"  he  demanded,  interrupting  her. 
"  If  I  was  Hugh  Mainwaring's  son,  why  have  I  not  borne 
his  name?  Why  did  he  not  recognize  me  as  such?  I'll 
claim  no  man  for  my  father  who  would  not  acknowledge 
me  as  his  son." 

Then,  before  she  could  reply,  he  added,  "If  you  were 
the  wife  of  Hugh  Mainwaring,  what  was  the  meaning  of 
your  proposal  of  marriage  to  him  less  than  three  months 
ago  ?' ' 

She  grew  deathly  pale ;  but  he,  seeming  to  enjoy  the 
situation,  repeated,  sneeringly,  "Less  than  three  months 
ago,  the  night  on  which  he  gave  you  the  necklace  which 
you  commissioned  me  to  sell  the  other  day  !  You  urged 
your  suit  with  a  vengeance,  too,  I  remember,  for  you 
threatened  to  ruin  him  if  he  did  not  come  to  your  terms. 

144 


X-RAYS 

I  only  laughed  then,  for  I  thought  'twas  another  scheme  of 
yours  to  get  a  tighter  hold  on  the  old  man's  purse-strings. 
It's  nothing  to  me  what  your  object  was,  but  in  view  of 
the  fact  that  I  happened  to  overhear  that  little  episode,  it 
.might  be  just  as  well  not  to  try  to  tell  me  that  I  am  Hugh 
Mainwaring's  son.  You  will  naturally  see  that  I  am  not 
likely  to  be  interested  in  helping  carry  out  that  little 
farce  ! ' ' 

Still  controlling  herself  by  a  tremendous  will  power,  the 
wretched  woman  made  one  more  desperate  effort.  In  low 
tones  she  replied, — 

' '  You  show  your  base  ingratitude  by  thus  insulting  your 
mother  and  running  the  risk  of  betraying  her  to  listening 
servants  by  your  talk.  Of  course,  this  is  all  a  farce,  as 
you  say,  but  it  must  be  carried  through.  You  and  I  were 
distantly  related  to  Hugh  Mainwaring,  but  what  chance 
would  we  have  against  these  people  with  no  more  of  a 
claim  than  ours  ?  I  am  compelled  to  assert  that  I  was  his 
wife  and  that  you  are  his  son  in  order  to  win  any  recogni 
tion  in  the  eyes  of  the  law. ' ' 

For  an  instant  her  son  regarded  her  with  an  expression 
of  mingled  surprise  and  incredulity,  then  the  sneer  returned, 
and,  turning  to  leave  the  room,  he  answered,  carelessly, — 

"You  can  tell  your  little  story  to  other  people,  and 
when  you  have  won  a  fortune  on  it,  why,  I'll  be  around 
for  my  share,  as,  whatever  my  doubts  in  other  directions, 
I  have  not  the  slightest  doubt  that  you  are  my  mother,  and 
therefore  bound  to  support  me.  But,  for  the  present,  if 
you  please,  I'll  go  by  the  old  name  of  LaGrange.  It's  a 
name  that  suits  me  very  well  yet,  even  though,"  and  a 
strange  look  flashed  at  her  from  his  dark  eyes,  "even 
though  it  may  be  only  a  borrowed  one,"  and  the  door 
closed,  for  the  last  time,  between  mother  and  son. 

A  low  moan  escaped  from  the  lips  of  the  unhappy 
145 


THAT    MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

woman.  "  My  son — the  only  living  being  of  my  flesh  and 
blood — even  he  has  turned  against  me  ! ' '  Too  proud  to 
recall  him,  however,  she  sank  exhausted  upon  a  couch, 
and,  burying  her  face  in  her  hands,  wept  bitterly  for  the 
first  and  only  time  in  her  remembrance. 

Meanwhile,  the  guests  of  Fair  Oaks,  having  returned 
from  the  funeral,  had  assembled  in  the  large  library  below, 
and  were  engaged  in  animated  discussion  regarding  the 
disposition  to  be  made  of  the  property.  Ralph  Main- 
waring  and  Mr.  Thornton,  with  pencils  and  paper,  were 
computing  stocks  and  bonds,  and  estimating  how  much  of 
a  margin  would  be  left  after  the  purchase  of  the  old  Main- 
waring  estate,  which  they  had  heard  could  be  bought  at 
a  comparatively  low  figure,  the  present  owner  being  some 
what  embarrassed  financially ;  while  Mrs.  Mainwaring  was 
making  a  careful  inventory  of  the  furniture,  paintings,  and 
bric-a-brac  at  Fair  Oaks,  with  a  view  of  ascertaining 
whether  there  were  any  articles  which  she  would  care  to 
retain  for  their  future  home. 

Mr.  Whitney,  who,  as  a  bachelor  and  an  intimate  friend 
of  Hugh  Mainwaring' s,  as  well  as  his  legal  adviser,  had 
perhaps  more  than  any  one  else  enjoyed  the  hospitality  of 
his  beautiful  suburban  home,  found  the  conversation  ex 
tremely  distasteful,  and,  having  furnished  whatever  inform 
ation  was  desired,  excused  himself  and  left  the  room.  As 
he  sauntered  out  upon  the  broad  veranda,  he  was  surprised 
to  see  Miss  Carleton,  who  had  made  her  escape  through 
one  of  the  long  windows,  and  who  looked  decidedly  bored. 

"It's  perfectly  beastly!  Don't  you  think  so?"  she 
exclaimed,  looking  frankly  into  his  face,  as  if  sure  of 
sympathy. 

She  had  so  nearly  expressed  his  own  feelings  that  he 
flushed  slightly,  as  he  replied,  with  a  smile,  ' '  It  looks  rather 
peculiar  to  an  outsider,  but  I  suppose  it  is  only  natural." 

146 


P.IXWOK.E  PLAISTT.D  ABBOTT 

"  KVK.N"    UK    HAS    TURNED    ACAINST    ME!" 


X-RAYS 

"It  is  natural  for  them,"  she  replied,  with  emphasis. 

"  I  did  not  intend  to  be  personal ;  I  meant  human  nature 
generally. ' ' 

' '  I  have  too  much  respect  for  human  nature  generally 
to  believe  it  as  selfish  and  as  mercenary  as  that.  I  have 
learned  one  lesson,  however.  I  will  never  leave  my  prop 
erty  to  my  friends,  hoping  by  so  doing  to  be  held  in  loving 
remembrance.  It  would  be  the  surest  way  to  make  them 
forget  me  ! ' ' 

' '  Has  your  experience  of  the  last  few  days  made  you  so 
cynical  as  that  ?' '  the  attorney  inquired,  again  smiling  into 
the  bright,  fair  face  beside  him. 

"It  is  not  cynicism,  Mr.  Whitney  ;  it  is  the  plain  truth. 
I  have  always  known  that  the  Mainwarings  as  a  family 
were  mercenary ;  but  I  confess  I  had  no  idea,  until  within 
the  last  few  days,  that  they  were  capable  of  such  beastly 
ingratitude. ' ' 

"Do  you  mean  to  say  that  it  is  a  trait  of  the  entire 
Mainwaring  family,  or  only  of  this  branch  in  particular  ?' ' 
he  inquired,  somewhat  amused. 

' '  All  the  Mainwarings  are  noted  for  their  worship  of  the 
golden  god,"  she  replied,  with  alow  musical  laugh;  "but 
Ralph  Mainwaring' s  love  of  money  is  almost  a  monomania. 
He  has  planned  and  schemed  to  get  that  old  piece  of 
English  property  into  his  hands  for  years  and  years,  in 
fact,  ever  since  it  was  willed  to  Hugh  Mainwaring  at  the 
time  his  brother  was  disinherited,  and  the  name  he  gave  to 
his  son  was  the  first  stone  laid  to  pave  the  way  to  this 
coveted  fortune." 

"I  see.  Pardon  me,  Miss  Carleton ;  but  you  just  now 
alluded  to  Hugh  Mainwaring' s  brother.  I  remember  some 
mention  was  made  at  the  inquest  of  a  brother,  but  I  sup 
posed  it  must  be  an  error.  Had  he  really  a  brother  ?' ' 

' '  Ah,  yes,  an  elder  brother ;  and  he  must  have  been 
H7 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

less  avaricious  than  the  rest  of  them,  as  he  sacrificed  a 
fortune  for  love.  It  was  quite  a  little  romance,  you  know. 
He  and  his  brother  Hugh  were  both  in  love  with  the  same 
lady.  The  father  did  not  approve,  and  gave  his  sons  their 
choice  between  love  without  a  fortune  or  a  fortune  without 
love.  Hugh  Mainwaring  chose  the  latter,  but  Harold, 
the  elder,  was  true  to  his  lady,  and  was  consequently 
disinherited." 

' '  Poor  Hugh  Mainwaring  ! ' '  commented  the  attorney  ; 
"he  made  his  choice  for  life  of  a  fortune  without  love, 
and  a  sad  life  it  was,  too  !" 

Miss  Carleton  glanced  up  with  quick  sympathy.  ' '  Yes,  it 
seemed  to  me  his  life  must  have  been  rather  lonely  and  sad." 

There  was  a  pause,  and  she  added,  ' '  And  did  he  never 
speak  to  you,  his  intimate  friend,  of  his  brother  ?' ' 

"Never." 

"Strange!  Perhaps  he  was  like  the  others,  after  all, 
and  thought  of  nothing  but  money. ' ' 

"No,  I  cannot  believe  that  of  Hugh  Mainwaring,"  the 
attorney  replied,  loyally  ;  then  added,  ' '  What  became  of 
the  brother,  Miss  Carleton?" 

' '  He  was  lost  at  sea.  He  had  started  for  Africa,  to 
make  a  fortune  for  himself,  but  the  boat  was  wrecked  in  a 
storm  and  every  one  on  board  was  lost. ' ' 

"And  his  family,  what  of  them?"  queried  the  attorney. 

"He  had  no  children,  and  no  one  ever  knew  what 
became  of  his  wife.  The  Mainwarings  are  a  very  prosaic 
family ;  that  is  the  only  bit  of  romance  in  their  history ; 
but  I  always  enjoyed  that,  except  that  it  ended  so  sadly, 
and  I  always  admired  Harold  Mainwaring.  I  would  like 
to  meet  such  a  man  as  he." 

"  Why,  I  should  say  there  was  a  romance  in  progress  at 
present  in  the  Mainwaring  family,"  said  Mr.  Whitney, 
smiling. 

148 


X-RAYS 

"What!  Hugh  and  Edith  Thornton?"  She  laughed 
again,  a  wonderfully  musical,  rippling  laugh,  the  attorney 
thought.  "Oh,  there  is  no  more  romance  there  than 
there  is  in  that  marble,"  and  she  pointed  to  a  beautiful 
Cupid  and  Psyche  embracing  each  other  in  the  centre  of  a 
mass  of  brilliant  geraniums  and  coleas.  "  They  have  been 
engaged  ever  since  their  days  of  long  dresses  and  high- 
chairs, — another  of  Ralph  Mainwaring's  schemes  !  You 
know  Edith  is  Hugh's  cousin,  an  only  child,  and  her 
father  is  immensely  rich !  Oh,  no ;  if  I  ever  have  a 
romance  of  my  own,  it  must  spring  right  up  spontaneously, 
and  grow  in  spite  of  all  opposition.  Not  one  of  the  sort 
that  has  been  fostered  in  a  hot-house  until  its  life  is  nearly 
stifled  out  of  it." 

Mr.  Whitney  glanced  in  admiration  at  the  fair  English 
face  beside  him  glowing  with  physical  and  intellectual 
beauty.  Then  a  moment  later,  as  they  passed  down  the 
long  hall  in  response  to  the  summons  to  dinner,  and  he 
caught  a  glimpse,  in  one  of  the  mirrors,  of  a  tolerably 
good-looking,  professional  gentleman  of  nearly  forty,  he 
wondered  why  he  suddenly  felt  so  much  older  than  ever 
before. 

Miss  Carleton  was  seated  beside  him  at  dinner,  while 
nearly  opposite  was  Harry  Scott,  conversing  with  young 
Mainwaring.  He  was  quietly  but  elegantly  dressed,  and 
his  fine  physique  and  noble  bearing,  as  well  as  the  striking 
beauty  of  his  dark  face,  seemed  more  marked  than  usual. 
Mr.  Whitney  watched  the  young  secretary  narrowly. 
Something  in  the  play  of  his  features  seemed  half  familiar, 
and  yet  gave  him  a  strange  sense  of  pain,  but  why,  he 
could  not  determine. 

"Mr.  Whitney,"  said  Miss  Carleton,  in  a  low  tone, 
' '  did  you  ever  observe  a  resemblance  at  times  between 
Mr.  Scott  and  your  friend,  Mr.  Hugh  Mainwaring?" 

149 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

The  attorney  looked  up  in  surprise.  "Why,  no,  Miss 
Carleton,  I  would  not  think  a  resemblance  possible.  Mr. 
Scott  is  much  darker  and  his  features  are  altogether  dif 
ferent.  ' ' 

"Oh,  I  did  not  refer  to  any  resemblance  of  feature  or 
complexion,  but  his  manner,  and  sometimes  his  expression, 
strikes  me  as  very  similar.  I  suppose  because  he  was 
associated  with  him  so  much,  you  know." 

Mr.  Whitney's  eyes  again  wandered  to  the  face  of  the 
secretary.  He  started  involuntarily.  "By  George!"  he 
ejaculated,  mentally,  "Hugh  Mainwaring,  as  sure  as  I 
live  !  Not  a  feature  like  him,  but  the  same  expression. 
What  does  it  mean?  Can  it  be  simply  from  association?" 

In  a  state  of  great  bewilderment  he  endeavored  still  to 
entertain  Miss  Carleton,  though  it  is  to  be  feared  she  found 
him  rather  absent-minded.  He  was  passing  out  of  the 
dining-room  in  a  brown  study  when  some  one  touched 
his  arm.  He  turned  and  saw  Merrick. 

"When  you  are  at  liberty,  come  out  to  the  grove,"  the 
latter  said,  briefly,  and  was  gone  before  the  attorney  could 
more  than  bow  in  reply. 


CHAPTER   XIII 

THEORIES,    WISE    AND    OTHERWISE 

HALF  an  hour  later,  having  excused  himself  to  Miss  Carle- 
ton,  Mr.  Whitney  hastened  to  the  grove,  where  he  found 
the  detective  sauntering  up  and  down  the  winding  walk, 
his  hands  behind  him  in  a  reflective  mood,  absorbed  in 
thought  and  in  the  enjoyment  of  a  fine  cigar.  He  nodded 
pleasantly  as  the  attorney  approached. 

"Going  to  be  at  liberty  for  some  time  ?"  he  inquired, 
at  the  same  time  extending  his  cigar-case. 

"Yes,  for  any  length  of  time  you  please;  it's  a  relief  to 
get  away  from  those  egotists. ' ' 

"  H'm  !"  said  Merrick,  as  he  returned  the  cigar-case  to 
his  pocket  after  the  attorney  had  helped  himself;  "  I  didn't 
think  that  you  looked  particularly  anxious  to  be  relieved  of 
your  company  when  I  saw  you.  I  really  felt  considerable 
delicacy  about  speaking  as  I  did. ' ' 

' '  Oh,  to  the  deuce  with  your  nonsense  ! ' '  the  attorney 
replied,  his  cheek  flushing  as  he  lighted  his  cigar.  "  If  you 
had  listened  to  the  twaddle  that  I  have  all  day,  you  would 
be  glad  to  talk  to  almost  any  one  for  a  change. ' ' 

"In  that  event,  perhaps  you  won't  mind  talking  to  me 
for  a  while.  Well,  suppose  we  go  down  to  the  stables,  to 
the  coachman's  room ;  he  is  probably  with  his  best  girl  by 
this  time,  and  we  will  be  safe  from  interruption  or  eaves 
droppers.  ' ' 

' '  That  suits  me  all  right  so  long  as  Ralph  Mainwaring 
doesn't  think  of  looking  for  me  there.  That  man  makes 
me  exceedingly  weary  ! ' ' 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

' '  Anxious  to  secure  the  property  according  to  the  terms 
of  that  will,  I  suppose." 

' '  Anxious  !  He  is  perfectly  insane  on  the  subject ;  he 
can't  talk  of  anything  else,  and  he'll  move  heaven  and 
earth  to  accomplish  it,  too,  if  necessary. ' ' 

"  Don't  anticipate  any  difficulty,  do  you?" 

"None  whatever,  unless  from  that  woman;  there's  no 
knowing  to  what  she  may  resort.  It  will  only  be  necessary 
to  prove  that  the  will,  if  not  in  existence  at  the  death  of 
the  testator,  was  fraudulently  destroyed  prior  thereto,  and 
I  think  we  have  a  pretty  clear  case.  By  George,  Merrick  ! ' ' 
suddenly  exclaimed  the  attorney  in  a  different  tone,  as  he 
paused  on  the  way  to  the  stables.  "  I  hadn't  thought  of  it 
before,  but  there's  one  thing  ought  to  be  done  ;  we  should 
have  this  lake  dragged  at  once." 

Merrick  raised  his  eyebrows  in  mute  inquiry. 

"  To  find  whatever  Brown  threw  in  there,  you  know ;  it 
might  furnish  us  with  an  almighty  important  clue. ' ' 

"H'm!  might  be  a  good  idea,"  Merrick  remarked, 
thoughtfully. 

"  Of  course  it  would  !  I  tell  you,  Merrick,  I  was  cut  out 
for  a  detective  myself,  and  I'm  pretty  good  for  an  amateur, 
now. ' ' 

"  Haven't  a  doubt  of  it,"  was  the  quiet  response,  and 
the  pair  resumed  their  walk.  Both  were  soon  comfortably 
seated  in  the  coachman's  room,  their  chairs  tilted  at  just 
the  right  angle  before  a  large  double  window,  facing  the 
sunset.  Both  smoked  in  silence  for  a  few  moments,  each 
waiting  for  the  other  to  speak. 

"Well,  my  friend,  what  do  you  know?"  inquired  the 
detective,  while  he  watched  the  delicate  spirals  of  blue 
smoke  as  they  diffused  themselves  in  the  golden  haze  of  the 
sunlight. 

"  Just  what  I  was  about  to  ask  you,"  said  his  companion. 
152 


THEORIES,  WISE   AND   OTHERWISE 

"  Oh,  time  enough  for  that  later.  You  have  been  look 
ing  into  this  case,  and,  as  you  are  a  born  detective,  I 
naturally  would  like  to  compare  notes  with  you." 

Mr.  Whitney  glanced  sharply  at  the  detective,  as  though 
suspicious  of  some  sarcasm  lurking  in  those  words,  but  the 
serious  face  of  the  latter  reassured  him,  and  he  replied, — 

"Well,  I've  not  had  much  experience  in  that  line,  but 
I've  made  quite  a  study  of  character,  and  can  tell  pretty 
correctly  what  a  person  of  such  and  such  evident  character 
istics  will  do  under  such  and  such  conditions.  As  I  have 
already  stated  to  you,  I  know,  both  from  observation  and 
from  hints  dropped  by  Hugh  Mainwaring,  that  if  ever  a 
dangerous  woman  existed, — artful,  designing,  absolutely 
devoid  of  the  first  principles  of  truth,  honor,  or  virtue, — that 
woman  is  Mrs.  LaGrange.  I  know  that  Mainwaring  stood 
in  fear  of  her  to  a  certain  extent,  and  that  she  was  con 
stantly  seeking,  by  threats,  to  compel  him  to  either  marry 
her  or  secure  the  property  to  her  and  her  son ;  and  I  also 
know  that  he  was  anxious  to  have  the  will  drawn  in  favor 
of  his  namesake  as  quickly  and  as  secretly  as  possible. 

"  Now,  knowing  all  these  circumstances,  what  is  more 
reasonable  than  to  suppose  that  she,  learning  in  some  way 
of  his  intentions,  would  resort  to  desperate  measures  to 
thwart  them  ?  Her  first  impulse  would  be  to  destroy  the 
will ;  then  to  make  one  final  effort  to  bring  him,  by 
threats,  to  her  terms,  and,  failing  in  that,  her  fury  would 
know  no  bounds.  Now,  what  does  she  do?  Sends  for 
Hobson,  the  one  man  whom  Hugh  Mainwaring  feared,  who 
knew  his  secret  and  stood  ready  to  betray  it.  Between 
them  the  plot  was  formed.  They  have  another  interview 
in  the  evening,  to  which  Hobson  brings  one  of  his  coadju 
tors,  the  two  coming  by  different  ways  like  the  vile  con 
spirators  they  were,  and  in  all  probability,  when  Hugh 
Mainwaring  bade  his  guests  good-night,  every  detail  of  his 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

death  was  planned  and  ready  to  be  carried  into  execution 
in  the  event  of  his  refusing  to  comply  with  that  woman's 
demands  made  by  herself,  personally,  and  later,  through 
Hobson.  We  know,  from  the  darkey's  testimony,  that 
Hobson  and  his  companion  appeared  in  the  doonvay  to 
gether  ;  that  the  man  suddenly  vanished — probably  con 
cealing  himself  in  the  shrubbery — as  Hobson  went  back 
into  the  house  ;  that  a  few  moments  later,  the  latter  reap 
peared  with  Mrs.  LaGrange ;  and  the  darkey  tells  me  that 
he,  supposing  all  was  right,  slunk  away  in  the  bushes  and 
left  them  standing  there.  We  know  that  the  valet,  going 
up  stairs  a  while  after,  found  Mrs.  LaGrange  in  the  private 
library,  and  at  the  same  time  detected  the  smell  of  burning 
paper.  You  found  the  burnt  fragments  of  the  will  in  the 
grate  in  the  tower-room. 

"  Now,  to  my  mind,  it  is  perfectly  clear  that  Mrs.  La- 
Grange  and  Hobson  proceeded  together  to  the  library  and 
tower-room,  where  they  first  destroyed  the  will,  and  where 
she  secreted  him  to  await  the  result  of  her  interview  with 
Mainwaring,  at  the  same  time  providing  him  with  the 
private  keys  by  which  he  could  effect  his  escape,  and  with 
Hugh  Mainwaring' s  own  revolver  with  which  the  terrible 
deed  was  done.  Later,  finding  that  Mainwaring  would  not 
accede  to  her  demands,  I  believe  she  left  that  room  know 
ing  to  a  certainty  what  his  fate  would  be  in  case  Hobson 
could  not  succeed  in  making  terms  with  him,  and  I  believe 
her  object  in  coming  down  the  corridor  afterwards  was 
simply  to  ascertain  that  her  plans  were  being  carried  into 
execution.  Now  there  is  my  theory  of  this  whole  affair  ; 
what  do  you  think  of  it  ?' ' 

"Very  ingeniously  put  together!  What  about  the 
jewels?  Do  you  think  Hobson  took  them?" 

"No.  I  think  Mrs.  LaGrange  got  possession  of  them 
in  some  way.  She  has  no  means  of  her  own  to  hire  that 

154 


THEORIES,  WISE   AND    OTHERWISE 

scoundrel,  yet  the  darkey  heard  her  promise  to  pay  him  lib 
erally,  and  you  see  her  very  first  attempt  to  pay  him  was  by 
the  sale  of  some  of  those  jewels.  I'll  acknowledge  I'm  not 
prepared  to  say  how  or  when  she  secured  them." 

"  Could  she  open  the  safe  ?" 

' '  That  I  cannot  say.  Mainwaring  told  me,  some  months 
ago,  that  he  found  her  one  day  attempting  to  open  it,  and 
he  immediately  changed  the  combination.  Whether  she 
had  discovered  the  new  combination,  I  am  unable  to  say ; 
but  she  is  a  deep  woman,  and  usually  finds  some  way  of  ac 
complishing  her  designs." 

' '  Brown,  the  coachman,  seems  to  have  no  place  in  this 
theory  of  yours. ' ' 

"Well,  of  course  we  none  of  us  thought  of  him  in  con 
nection  with  this  affair  until  since  his  sudden  disappearance 
yesterday,  but  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  he  is  to  be  re 
garded  in  the  light  of  an  accessory  after  the  fact.  I  think  it 
very  probable  that  Mrs.  LaGrange  has  employed  him  since 
the  murder  to  assist  her  in  concealing  evidences  of  the 
crime,  and  that  is  why  I  suggested  dragging  the  lake  in 
search  of  what  may  be  hidden  there ;  but,  according  to  his 
own  story,  he  was  in  the  city  that  night  until  some  time 
after  the  murder  was  committed. ' ' 

"Yes,  according  to  his  own  story,  but  in  reality  he  did 
not  go  to  the  city  at  all  that  night.  More  than  that,  he 
was  seen  in  this  vicinity  about  midnight  with  a  couple  of 
suspicious  looking  characters. ' ' 

"  By  George  !  when  did  you  learn  that?" 

"  I  knew  it  when  Brown  gave  his  testimony  at  the 
inquest." 

' '  The  deuce  you  did  !  and  then  let  the  rascal  give  you 
the  slip,  after  all ! " 

"Don't  give  yourself  any  anxiety  on  that  score;  lean 
produce  Brown  any  hour  he's  wanted.  One  of  my  subor- 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

dinates  has  his  eye  on  him  day  and  night.  At  last  reports, 
he  and  Brown  were  occupying  the  same  room  in  a  third- 
class  lodging  house;  I'll  wager  they're  having  a  game  of 
cards  together  this  evening. ' ' 

"  Well,  well !  you  have  stolen  a  march  on  us.  But,  if  I 
may  ask,  why  don't  you  bag  your  game?" 

"  I  am  using  him  as  a  decoy  for  larger  game.  Whatever 
Brown  is  mixed  up  in,  he  is  only  a  tool  in  the  hands  of 
older  and  shrewder  rascals. ' ' 

Before  the  attorney  could  say  anything  further,  Merrick 
rose  abruptly  and  stepped  to  a  table  near  by,  returning  with 
a  package. 

"What  do  you  think  of  that?"  he  asked,  removing  the 
wrappings  and  holding  up  the  rusty,  metallic  box. 

"Great  heavens  !"  ejaculated  Mr.  Whitney,  springing 
forward  excitedly.  "Why,  man  alive,  you  don't  mean  to 
say  that  you  have  found  the  jewels  ! ' ' 

' '  No  such  good  fortune  as  that  yet, ' '  the  detective 
answered  quietly,  ' '  only  the  empty  casket ; ' '  and  having 
opened  the  box,  he  handed  it  to  the  attorney. 

"  Where  did  you  find  this?"  the  latter  inquired. 

' '  Fished  it  out  of  the  lake. ' ' 

' '  Ah-h  !     I  should  like  to  know  when. ' ' 

"While  you  were  snoring  this  morning." 

"  Great  Scott !  They'll  catch  a  weasel  asleep  when  they 
find  you  napping  !  But,  by  George  !  this  rather  confirms 
my  theory  about  that  woman  getting  possession  of  the  jewels 
and  hiring  Brown  to  help  her,  doesn't  it?" 

Without  replying,  Merrick  handed  over  the  revolver 
which  had  been  brought  to  light  that  morning. 

"Where  did  you  get  this  rusty  thing?  Was  it  in  the 
lake,  also?" 

The  detective  nodded  affirmatively,  and  Mr.  Whitney  ex 
amined  the  weapon  in  some  perplexity. 

156 


THEORIES,  WISE   AND    OTHERWISE 

"Well,  I  must  say,"  he  remarked  at  length,  "  I  don't 
see  what  connection  this  has  with  the  case.  The  shooting 
was  done  with  Hugh  Mainwaring's  own  revolver ;  that  was 
settled  at  the  inquest — 

' '  Pardon  me  !  It  was  only  '  settled'  that  the  revolver 
found  lying  beside  him  was  his  own." 

The  attorney  stared  as  Merrick  continued,  at  the  same  time 
producing  from  his  pocket  the  revolver  in  question,  "  This, 
as  you  are  doubtless  aware,  is  a  Smith  and  Wesson,  32  cali 
bre,  while  that,"  pointing  to  the  rusty  weapon  in  Mr. 
Whitney's  hands,  "  is  an  old  Colt's  revolver,  a  38.  On  the 
morning  of  the  murder,  after  you  and  the  coroner  had  gone, 
I  found  the  bullet  for  which  we  had  searched  unsuccessfully, 
and  from  that  hour  to  this  I  have  known,  what  before  I  had 
suspected,  that  this  dainty  little  weapon  of  Mr.  Main 
waring's  played  no  part  in  the  shooting.  Here  is  the  bullet, 
you  can  see  for  yourself." 

Mr.  Whitney  gazed  in  silent  astonishment  as  the  detec 
tive  compared  the  bullet  with  the  two  weapons,  showing 
conclusively  that  it  could  never  have  been  discharged  from 
the  familiar  3  2 -calibre  revolver. 

"Well,  I'll  be  blessed  if  I  can  see  what  in  the  dickens 
that  revolver  of  Mainwaring's  had  to  do  with  the  affair, 
anyway  ! ' ' 

"  Very  easily  explained  when  you  once  take  into  con 
sideration  the  fact  that  the  whole  thing  was  an  elaborately 
arranged  plan,  on  the  part  of  the  murderer,  to  give  the 
affair  an  appearance  of  suicide.  One  glance  at  the  mur 
dered  man  convinced  me  that  the  wound  had  never  been 
produced  by  the  weapon  lying  at  his  side.  That  clue  led 
to  others,  and  when  I  left  that  room  with  you,  to  attend 
the  inquest,  I  knew  that  Hugh  Mainwaring  had  been  shot 
with  a  38-calibre  revolver,  in  his  library,  near  the  centre 
of  the  room,  and  that  the  body  had  afterwards  been  so 


THAT    MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

arranged  in  the  tower-room  as  to  give  the  appearance  of  his 
having  deliberately  shot  himself  beside  his  desk  and  with  his 
own  revolver." 

' '  By  George  !  I  believe  you'  re  right, ' '  said  the  attorney ; 
"and  I  recall  now  your  statement  that  day,  that  the  shoot 
ing  had  occurred  in  the  library ;  I  wondered  then  what 
reason  you  had  for  such  an  opinion. ' ' 

"  A  small  stain  on  the  library  carpet  and  the  bullet  told 
me  that  much.  Another  thing,  which  at  first  puzzled  me, 
was  the  marked  absence  of  blood-stains.  There  was  a 
small  pool  of  blood  underneath  the  head,  a  slight  stain  on 
the  carpet  in  the  adjoining  room,  but  none  on  the  clothing 
or  elsewhere.  The  solution  to  this  I  found  on  further  in 
vestigation.  The  wound  had  been  firmly  and  skilfully 
bandaged  by  an  expert  hand,  the  imprint  of  the  bandage 
being  plainly  visible  in  the  hair  on  the  temples.  Here  is  the 
proof  that  I  was  correct, ' '  and  Merrick  held  up  to  the  at 
torney  's  astonished  view  the  stained  and  knotted  handker 
chief.  "This,  with  the  private  keys  belonging  to  Mr. 
Mainwaring's  library,  was  in  that  box  at  the  bottom  of  the 
lake.  Do  you  consider  Mrs.  LaGrange  or  Hobson  capable 
of  planning  and  carrying  out  an  affair  so  adroitly  as 
that?" 

"You've  got  me  floored,"  the  attorney  answered,  gaz 
ing  at  the  proofs  before  him.  "Hobson  I  know  nothing 
about ;  but  that  woman  I  believe  could  scheme  to  beat  the 
very  devil  himself;  and  yet,  Merrick,  when  you  think  of  it, 
it  must  have  taken  time — considerable  time — to  plan  a 
thing  like  that. ' ' 

"  Or  else,"  Merrick  suggested,  "it  was  the  performance 
of  an  expert  criminal ;  no  bungling,  no  work  of  a  green 
hand." 

Mr.  Whitney  started  slightly,  but  the  detective  continued. 
"Another  point:  Hobson,  as  you  say,  was  the  one  man 

158 


THEORIES,  WISE   AND    OTHERWISE 

whom  Hugh  Mainwaring  feared  and  who  evidently  had 
some  hold  upon  him  ;  would  he  then  have  dared  denounce 
him  as  a  liar  and  an  impostor  ?  Would  not  his  use  of  such 
terms  imply  that  he  was  addressing  one  whom  he  con 
sidered  a  sttanger  and  unacquainted  with  the  facts  in  the 
case  ?' ' 

"  I  see,"  the  attorney  replied  quickly;  "you  have  in 
mind  Hobson's  accomplice,  the  tali  man  with  dark  glasses." 

Merrick  smiled.  "You  are  then  inclined  to  the 
opinion  that  J.  Henry  Carruthers,  who  called  in  the  after 
noon,  is  identical  with  the  so-called  Jack  Carroll  who  ac 
companied  Hobson  in  the  evening  ?' ' 

"  Certainly  that  is  a  reasonable  supposition.  The  de 
scriptions  of  the  two  men  agree  remarkably,  and  the  darkey 
was  positive,  both  in  his  testimony  at  the  inquest  and  in 
conversation  with  me,  that  they  were  one  and  the  same 
person." 

' '  Their  general  appearance  seems  to  have  been  much 
the  same,  but  their  conduct  and  actions  were  totally  unlike. 
Carruthers  acted  fearlessly,  with  no  attempt  at  concealment ; 
while,  if  you  will  stop  to  think  of  it,  of  all  the  witnesses 
who  tried  to  give  a  description  of  Carroll,  not  one  had 
seen  his  face.  He  always  remained  in  the  background,  as 
much  concealed  as  possible. ' ' 

"  I  don't  deny  that  you  are  correct,"  the  attorney  said 
musingly;  "and  they  may  have  been  two  distinct  indi 
viduals,  Carroll  evidently  being  the  guilty  party ;  but  even 
in  that  event,  in  my  opinion,  he  was  only  carrying  out 
with  a  skilful  hand  the  plans  already  arranged  by  that 
woman  and  Hobson." 

"Whatever  part  Carroll  took  in  the  affair,  he  was  un 
doubtedly  Hobson's  agent;  and  you  will  find  that  Hobson 
and  Mrs.  LaGrange  have  been  more  intimately  associated 
and  for  a  much  longer  time  than  you  suspect, ' '  and  Mer- 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

rick  repeated  what  he  had  overheard  of  the  interview  in 
Mrs.  LaGrange's  parlor,  just  after  the  close  of  the  inquest. 

Mr.  Whitney  listened  with  deep  interest.  "  Well,  well ! 
And  you  heard  her  accuse  him  of  being  an  accessory  ? 
Of  course  she  referred  to  the  murder.  By  George  !  I 
should  have  wanted  them  arrested  on  the  spot ! ' ' 

After  a  slight  pause,  he  continued.  "There's  one  thing, 
Merrick,  in  the  conduct  of  Carruthers  which  I  don't 
understand.  Why,  after  telling  the  secretary  that  he 
would  remain  at  the  Arlington  for  the  next  two  or  three 
days,  should  he  return  to  the  city  the  next  morning  on 
the  3.10  train?" 

"  He  seems  to  have  been  an  impulsive  man,  who  acted 
on  the  spur  of  the  moment,"  Merrick  answered;  "but 
the  strangest  part  of  that  is,  that  he  did  not  return  to  the 
city  at  all.  He  bought  a  ticket  for  New  York,  but  the 
conductor  informs  me  there  was  no  such  man  on  board; 
while  the  north-bound  train,  which  pulls  out  about  five 
minutes  later,  had  a  passenger  answering  exactly  to  his 
description.  The  conductor  on  the  latter  train  also  in 
formed  me  that,  just  as  they  were  pulling  out  of  the 
station,  a  man,  tall  and  dark,  rather  good  looking,  he 
should  judge,  though  he  could  not  see  his  face,  and 
wearing  a  long,  light  overcoat,  sprang  aboard,  decidedly 
winded,  as  though  from  running,  and  immediately  steered 
for  the  darkest  corner  of  the  smoking-car,  where  he  sat 
with  his  hat  well  drawn  down  over  his  face. ' ' 

' '  Carroll  again,  by  George  ! ' '  exclaimed  the  attorney. 

"Here  is  a  problem  for  you  to  solve,"  Merrick  con 
tinued,  pointing  to  the  revolver  and  box  lying  side  by 
side.  "You  think  Brown  threw  those  in  the  lake.  Who 
was  the  man  that  Brown  saw  standing  beside  the  lake  just 
before  three  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  what  was  he 
doing?  He  was  tall  and  dark,  and  wore  a  long  coat  or 

160 


THEORIES,  WISE   AND   OTHERWISE 

ulster.  Was  that  Carroll  or  Carruthers?  Did  he  throw 
anything  into  the  lake  ?  And  if  so,  what  ?' ' 

Mr.  Whitney  gazed  dubiously  at  the  detective  for  a 
moment,  then  began  to  whistle  softly,  while  he  slowly 
shook  his  head. 

"No,  Merrick ;  you've  got  me  there!  I  never  have 
had  enough  experience  in  this  line  that  I  could  go  into 
the  detail  work.  I  have  to  be  guided  by  the  main  points  in 
the  case.  Then,  again,  I  gave  Brown's  testimony  very  little 
thought,  as  I  considered  him  unreliable  and  irresponsible." 

' '  Well,  to  come  back  to  the  '  main  points, '  then  :  what 
reasons  have  you  for  connecting  Mrs.  LaGrange  and  Hob- 
son  with  this  affair  that  might  not  apply  equally  well  in 
the  cases  of  certain  other  people  ?' ' 

"What  reason?  Why,  man  alive  !  there  is  every  reason 
to  consider  Mrs.  LaGrange  the  instigator  of  the  whole 
affair.  In  the  first  place,  her  one  object  and  aim  for  the 
past  seventeen  or  eighteen  years  has  been  to  get  hold  of 
Hugh  Mainwaring's  property,  to  secure  for  herself  and  her 
son  what  she  calls  their  '  rights' " 

' '  That  is  the  point, ' '  Merrick  interrupted.  ' '  You  con 
sider  her  guilty  because  she  would  be  interested  in  securing 
a  hold  upon  the  property,  although  she,  personally,  has  no 
claim  whatever.  Has  it  never  occurred  to  you  that  there 
might  be  others  more  deeply  interested  than  she,  inasmuch 
as  they  have  valid  claims,  being  the  rightful  heirs  ?' ' 

"  I  never  thought  of  such  a  possibility,"  said  the  aston 
ished  attorney;  "and  I  don't  know  that  I  understand 
now  to  whom  you  refer." 

"I  have  learned  from  various  reliable  sources,"  the 
detective  replied,  ' '  that  Ralph  Mainwaring  has  a  younger 
brother,  Harold,  who  is  as  much  of  a  money-lover  as 
himself,  though  too  indolent  to  take  the  same  measures 
for  acquiring  it.  He  is  a  reckless,  unprincipled  fellow,  and 
11  161 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

having  about  run  through  his  own  property,  I  understand, 
he  has  had  great  expectations  regarding  this  American 
estate,  depending  upon  his  share  of  the  same  to  retrieve 
his  wasted  fortune.  I  learned  yesterday,  by  cable,  that 
since  the  departure  of  Ralph  Mainwaring  and  his  family 
for  this  country,  his  brother  has  been  missing,  and  it  is 
supposed,  among  his  associates  in  London,  that  he  took 
the  next  steamer  for  America,  intending  to  assert  his  own 
claims. ' ' 

"And  you  think "  the  attorney  interrupted,  breath 
lessly;  but  Merrick  shook  his  head  and  continued, — 

"I  have  also,  in  the  course  of  my  investigations,  inci 
dentally  discovered  Hugh  Mainwaring' s  secret,  and,  con 
sequently,  Hobson's  secret,  only  that  I  know  the  real  facts 
in  the  case,  which  Hobson  does  not  know.  You,  as 
Mainwaring' s  friend,  will  not  care  to  learn  the  details,  and 
I  shall  not  speak  of  them  now,  but  I  will  say  this  much : 
there  are  probably  in  existence  to-day,  and  perhaps  not 
very  far  distant,  heirs  to  this  property,  having  a  claim 
preceding  not  only  that  of  Ralph  Mainwaring  or  his  son, 
but  of  Hugh  Mainwaring  himself. ' ' 

There  was  silence  for  a  few  moments  as  the  detective 
paused,  Mr.  Whitney's  surprise  rendering  him  speechless; 
at  last  he  said, — 

"Well,  you  are  a  truthful  fellow,  Merrick,  and  you 
never  jump  at  conclusions,  so  I  know  your  statements  can 
be  relied  upon ;  but  I'll  be  blessed  if  I  understand  how  or 
when  you  have  gathered  all  this  information  together.  I 
suppose  it  would  be  useless  to  ask  your  deductions  from  all 
this,  but  I  wish  you  would  answer  one  or  two  questions. 
Do  you  think  that  this  Harold  Mainwaring,  or  those  pos 
sible  heirs  you  mention,  would  put  in  an  appearance  per 
sonally,  or  that  they  would  work  through  agents  and 
emissaries  ?' ' 

162 


THEORIES,  WISE   AND   OTHERWISE 

"Depends  altogether  upon  circumstances.  Harold 
Maimvaring  would  not  be  likely  to  appear  on  the  scene 
unless  he  were  pretty  effectually  disguised.  As  to  the 
others, — if  they  were  to  assert  their  claim, — it  would  be 
difficult  to  say  just  what  course  they  might  take.  I  have 
made  these  statements  merely  to  give  you  a  hint  of  the 
possibilities  involved  in  the  case.  It  is  now  getting  rather 
late,  but  I  will  give  you  one  or  two  pointers  to  ruminate 
upon.  Don't  think  that  Hobson  will  run  any  risks  or 
put  himself  to  any  personal  inconvenience  for  Mrs.  La- 
Grange.  He  is  working  first  and  foremost  for  Richard 
Hobson,  after  that  for  whoever  will  pay  him  best.  An 
other  thing,  don't  ever  for  a  moment  imagine  that  Hugh 
Mainwaring's  private  secretary  is  looking  for  a  job.  It's 
my  opinion  he'll  give  you  fellows  one  of  the  hardest  jobs 
you  ever  tackled;  and,  unless  I'm  greatly  mistaken,  he's 
got  brains  enough  and  backing  enough  to  carry  through 
whatever  he  undertakes. ' ' 

"  Say  !  I  don't  know  as  I  exactly  catch  your  meaning; 
but  that's  one  thing  I  wanted  to  ask  you.  What  do  you 
think  of  that  young  man,  anyway?  I  can't  make  him 
out. ' ' 

' '  I  noticed  that  you  had  not  assigned  him  any  place  in 
that  theory  of  yours." 

"No;  he's  been  a  mystery  to  me,  a  perfect  mystery; 
but  this  evening  a  new  idea  has  occurred  to  me,  and  I 
would  like  your  judgment  on  it.  Has  he  ever  reminded 
you  of  any  one  ?  That  is,  can  you  recall  any  one  whom 
he  resembles  ?' ' 

"Well,  I  should  say  there  was  a  marked  resemblance. 
I've  often  wondered  where  your  eyes  were  that  you  had 
not  seen  it. ' ' 

"You  have  noticed  it,  then?  Well,  so  have  I;  but  it 
has  puzzled  me,  for,  though  the  look  was  familiar,  I  was 

163 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

unable  to  recall  whose  it  was  until  to-night.  Now  that  I 
have  recalled  it,  that,  taken  in  connection  with  some  other 
things  I  have  observed,  has  led  me  to  wonder  whether  it 
were  possible  that  he  is  a  son  of  Hugh  Mainwaring's,  of 
whose  existence  no  one  in  this  country  has  ever  known. ' ' 

"  Hugh  Mainwaring  !     I  don't  understand  you." 

' '  Why,  you  just  acknowledged  you  had  noticed  the 
resemblance  between  them  ! ' ' 

' '  I  beg  your  pardon ;  but  you  must  recollect  that  I  have 
never  seen  Hugh  Mainwaring  living,  and  have  little  idea 
how  he  looked. ' ' 

"By  George!  that's  a  fact.  Well,  then,  who  in  the 
dickens  do  you  think  he  resembles?" 

The  coachman's  step  was  heard  at  that  instant  on  the 
stairs,  and  Merrick's  reply  was  necessarily  brief. 

"Laying  aside  expression,  take  feature  for  feature,  and 
you  have  the  face  of  Mrs.  LaGrange. ' ' 


164 


CHAPTER    XIV 

THE    EXIT    OF    SCOTT,    THE    SECRETARY 

ONE  of  the  first  duties  which  the  secretary  was  called 
upon  to  perform,  during  his  brief  stay  at  Fair  Oaks,  was 
to  make  a  copy  of  the  lost  will.  He  still  retained  in  his 
possession  the  stenographic  notes  of  the  original  document 
as  it  had  been  dictated  by  Hugh  Mainwaring  on  that  last 
morning  of  his  life,  and  it  was  but  the  work  of  an  hour  or 
two  to  again  transcribe  them  in  his  clear  chirography. 

Engaged  in  this  work,  he  was  seated  at  the  large  desk  in 
the  tower-room,  which  had  that  morning  been  opened  for 
use  for  the  first  time  since  the  death  of  its  owner.  He 
wrote  rapidly,  and  the  document  was  nearly  completed 
when  Mr.  Whitney  and  Ralph  Mainwaring  together  en 
tered  the  adjoining  room. 

"  Egad  !"  he  heard  the  latter  exclaim,  angrily,  "  if  that 
blasted  scoundrel  thinks  he  has  any  hold  on  me,  or  that  he 
can  keep  me  on  the  rack  as  he  did  Hugh,  he'll  find  he  has 
made  the  biggest  mistake  of  his  life.  It  is  nothing  but 
a  blackmailing  scheme,  and  I've  more  than  half  a  mind  to 
sift  the  whole  matter  to  the  bottom  and  land  that  beggarly 
impostor  where  he  belongs. ' ' 

1 '  I  hardly  know  just  what  to  advise  under  the  circum 
stances,"  Mr.  Whitney  answered,  quietly,  "  for  I,  naturally, 
have  some  personal  feeling  in  this  matter,  and  I  am  forced 
to  believe,  Mr.  Mainwaring,  that  there  is  something  back 
of  all  this  which  neither  you  nor  I  would  care  to  have 
given  publicity.  But,  laying  aside  that  consideration,  I 
am  of  the  opinion  that  it  might  not  be  to  your  interest  to 
push  this  matter  too  closely." 

165 


THAT    MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

"On  what  grounds,  sir,  do  you  base  your  opinion?" 
Mr.  Main  waring  demanded. 

The  attorney's  reply,  however,  was  lost  upon  Scott, 
whose  attention  had  been  suddenly  arrested  by  the  imprint 
of  a  peculiar  signature  across  one  corner  of  the  blotter  upon 
which  he  was  drying  his  work,  now  completed.  Instantly, 
oblivious  to  everything  else,  he  carefully  examined  the 
blotter.  It  was  a  large  one,  fastened  to  the  top  of  the 
desk,  and  had  been  in  use  but  a  comparatively  short  time. 
It  bore  traces  both  of  Hugh  Mainwaring's  writing  and  of 
his  own,  but  this  name,  standing  out  boldly  on  one  corner, 
was  utterly  unlike  either.  Nor  did  it  resemble  any  of  the 
signatures  attached  to  the  will  on  that  memorable  day 
when  the  desk  with  its  paraphernalia  had  been  last  used. 

Considerably  perplexed,  Scott  suddenly  recalled  a  small 
pocket  mirror  which  he  had  seen  in  the  desk.  This  he 
speedily  found,  and,  having  placed  it  at  the  right  angle, 
leaned  over  to  get  a  view  of  the  name  as  it  had  been 
originally  written.  As  he  did  so,  he  caught  sight  of  some 
faint  lines  above  the  signature  which  he  had  not  observed, 
but  which  were  plainly  visible  in  the  mirror.  It  was  well 
for  the  secretary  that  he  was  alone,  for,  as  he  read  the 
signature  with  the  words  outlined  above,  he  was  spellbound. 
For  a  moment  he  seemed  almost  paralyzed,  unable  to 
move.  His  brain  whirled,  and,  when  he  at  last  sank  back 
in  his  chair,  his  face  was  blanched  and  he  felt  giddy  and 
faint  from  the  discovery  which  he  had  made.  Gradually 
he  became  conscious  of  his  surroundings.  Again  he  heard, 
as  in  a  dream,  the  conversation  in  the  adjoining  room. 
The  attorney  was  speaking. 

' '  I  do  not  at  present  feel  at  liberty  to  give  the  source  of 
my  information,  but  I  can  assure  you  it  is  perfectly  reliable, 
and  my  informant  would  never  have  made  such  an  assertion 
unless  he  had  ample  authority  to  back  it  up. ' ' 

1 66 


THE  EXIT  OF  SCOTT,  THE  SECRETARY 

' '  I  don' t  care  a  rap  for  your  information  or  its  source, ' ' 
the  other  interrupted,  impatiently.  "The  whole  thing  is 
simply  preposterous.  The  estate  descended  regularly  to 
Hugh  Mainwaring,  and  from  him  to  our  own  family  as 
next  of  kin.  You  can  see  for  yourself  that  to  talk  of  any 
other  claimants  having  prior  rights  is  an  utter  absurdity. ' ' 

"  Had  not  Hugh  Mainwaring  an  elder  brother?" 

' '  He  had ;  but  you  must  be  aware  that  he  died  a  great 
many  years  ago. ' ' 

"  But  had  that  elder  brother  no  issue?" 

' '  None  living, ' '  Mr.  Mainwaring  replied,  coldly.  Then 
added,  in  the  same  tone,  ' '  Even  had  there  been,  that  fact 
would  have  no  bearing  on  this  case,  Mr.  Whitney.  The 
entire  estate  was  transferred  to  Hugh  Mainwaring  by  legal 
process  before  the  death  of  his  brother,  he  and  his  heirs 
having  been  forever  disinherited,  so  that  it  is  the  same  as 
though  he  had  never  existed. ' ' 

While  he  was  speaking,  the  secretary  entered  the  library, 
his  pallor  and  unusual  expression  attracting  Mr.  Whitney's 
attention.  In  response  to  a  glance  of  inquiry  from  the 
latter,  however,  he  merely  said, — 

"The  copy  is  completed.  You  will  find  it  on  the  desk," 
and  passed  from  the  library  into  the  hall. 

Still  wondering  at  his  appearance,  Mr.  Whitney  pro 
ceeded  to  the  tower-room,  and  a  moment  later  both  gen 
tlemen  were  absorbed  in  the  perusal  of  the  duplicate  of 
the  lost  will ;  but  afterwards  the  attorney  recalled  that, 
on  taking  the  document  from  the  desk,  he  had  noticed  that 
the  large  blotter  covering  the  top  had  been  removed  and 
replaced  by  a  new  one. 

There  was  no  perceptible  change  in  Scott's  appearance 
during  the  remainder  of  the  day,  except  that  he  seemed 
more  than  usually  thoughtful,  sometimes  to  the  verge  of 
abstraction,  but,  in  reality,  his  mind  was  so  preoccupied 

167 


THAT    MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

with  endless  doubts  and  surmises  regarding  his  recent 
discovery  that  he  found  it  exceedingly  difficult  to  con 
centrate  his  attention  upon  the  work  required  of  him. 

That  afternoon,  however,  while  engaged  in  looking 
through  some  important  documents  belonging  to  Hugh 
Mainwaring,  kept  at  the  city  offices,  a  cablegram  was 
handed  him,  addressed  to  himself  personally,  from  Barton 
&  Barton,  a  well-known  legal  firm  in  London.  The  de 
spatch  itself  caused  him  little  surprise,  as  he  had  been  in 
correspondence  with  this  firm  for  more  than  a  year ;  but  the 
contents  of  the  message  were  altogether  unexpected,  and 
left  him  in  a  state  of  bewilderment.  It  read, — 

"Have  you  met  J.  Henry  Carruthers,  of  London, 
supposed  to  have  sailed  ten  days  since,  or  can  you  give 
us  his  whereabouts  ?' ' 

Fortunately,  Scott  was  alone,  Ralph  Mainwaring  and 
the  attorney  being  in  the  private  offices,  and  he  had 
plenty  of  opportunity  to  recover  from  his  surprise.  For 
half  an  hour  he  revolved  the  matter  in  his  thoughts,  won 
dering  whether  this  had  any  bearing  upon  the  question 
which  for  the  last  few  hours  he  had  been  trying  to  solve. 
A  little  later  he  sent  the  following  reply : 

"  Person  mentioned  seen  on  yth  instant.  No  trace  since. 
You  have  my  letter  of  8th  instant.  Cable  instructions." 

As  the  Mainwaring  carriage  appeared  at  the  offices  at 
four  o'clock,  to  convey  the  gentlemen  to  Fair  Oaks,  Mr. 
Whitney  was  surprised  to  find  the  secretary  still  engaged 
at  his  desk. 

"If  you  will  excuse  me,"  the  latter  said,  pleasantly, 
"I  will  not  go  out  to  Fair  Oaks  this  evening.  I  have 
some  unfinished  work  here,  and  I  will  remain  in  the  city 
to-night." 

Upon  entering  the  offices  the  next  day,  however,  the 
attorney  found  the  following  note  addressed  to  himself: 

1 68 


THE   EXIT   OF   SCOTT    THE   SECRETARY 

"MR.  WHITNEY. 

"DEAR  SIR, — I  regret  to  be  compelled  to  inform  you 
that  you  will  have  to  look  for  another  assistant,  as  im 
portant  business  calls  me  away  for  an  indefinite  period. 
Do  not  give  yourself  any  trouble  concerning  the  salary 
which  you  kindly  offered  me.  I  am  not  in  need  of  it, 
and  have  only  been  too  glad  to  render  you  the  little 
assistance  within  my  power,  knowing,  as  I  do,  that  you 
have  no  easy  case  on  your  hands. 

"Trusting  we  shall  meet  in  the  future,  I  am,  with  great 
esteem, 

' '  Very  truly  yours, 

"H.  SCOTT." 

As  Mr.  Whitney  read  and  reread  this  note,  the  words 
of  the  detective  regarding  the  private  secretary  were  re 
called  to  his  mind,  and  he  muttered, — 

"Yes,  Merrick  was  right.  It  is  very  evident  the  young 
man  is  not  'looking  for  a  job;'  but  I'll  be  blessed  if  I 
know  what  to  think  of  him  ! ' ' 

Upon  Mr.  Whitney's  return  to  Fair  Oaks,  he  found  the 
guests  assembled  on  the  veranda,  overlooking  the  river, 
Mr.  Merrick,  who  had  just  returned  from  a  few  days' 
absence,  being  also  included  in  the  company.  There  were 
many  exclamations  of  surprise  and  considerable  comment 
when  Mr.  Whitney  told  of  the  sudden  disappearance  of 
the  secretary. 

"  Now,  that  is  too  bad  !"  cried  Edith  Thornton.  "  He 
was  so  interesting,  and  we  were  all  beginning  to  like  him 
so  much. ' ' 

"I  don't  know  that  any  of  us  were  so  charmed  with 
him  as  one  might  be  led  to  suppose  from  your  remark, 
Edith,"  said  Isabel  Mainwaring,  with  a  disdainful  glance 
towards  the  attorney,  who  had  seated  himself  beside  Miss 

169 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

Carleton ;  ' '  but  here,  almost  any  one  will  answer  for  a 
diversion,  and  he  was  really  quite  entertaining. ' ' 

"It  is  not  to  be  expected  that  you  would  see  or  appre 
ciate  his  good  points, ' '  said  her  brother,  with  half  a  sneer ; 
' '  but  Scott  is  a  fine  fellow  and  a  gentleman,  and  I  shall 
miss  him  awfully. ' ' 

Miss  Carleton  remained  silent ;  but  for  some  reason, 
unexplainable  to  herself,  she  was  conscious  of  a  vague 
sense  of  disappointment  and  injury.  She  would  not  ad 
mit  to  herself  that  she  was  troubled  because  Scott  had 
gone,  it  was  the  manner  of  his  departure.  Surely,  after 
the  friendship  and  confidence  she  had  shown  him,  he 
might  at  least  have  sent  some  word  of  farewell,  instead  of 
leaving  as  he  had,  apparently  without  a  thought  of  her. 
However,  she  chatted  graciously  with  Mr.  Whitney,  though, 
all  the  while,  a  proud,  dark  face  with  strangely  beautiful 
eyes  persistently  forced  itself  before  her  mental  vision, 
nearly  obliterating  the  smiling  face  of  the  attorney. 

Meanwhile,  Ralph  Mainwaring  was  giving  the  detective 
his  views  on  the  subject. 

"I,  for  one,  am  not  sorry  that  he  has  followed  the 
example  of  the  coachman  and  taken  himself  off.  It  is  my 
opinion,"  he  continued,  in  impressive  tones,  "that  we 
will  yet  find  he  had  reasons  for  leaving  in  this  manner. ' ' 

"Undoubtedly  !"  Merrick  replied,  with  equal  emphasis. 

"Now,  that's  just  where  you're  wrong,  governor,"  said 
young  Mainwaring.  "  Scott  is  as  good  as  gold.  There  is 
no  sneak  about  him,  either ;  and  if  he  had  reasons  for 
leaving  as  he  has,  they  were  nothing  to  his  discredit ;  you 
can  stake  your  last  shilling  on  that ! ' ' 

"Oh,  I  know  he  has  pulled  the  wool  over  your  eyes," 
said  his  father;  "but  he  has  never  tried  his  smooth  games 
on  me ;  he  knows  I  can  see  through  him.  I  detest  him. 
One  of  your  typical  American  swells !  Just  what  one 

170 


THE   EXIT   OF   SCOTT,  THE    SECRETARY 

would  expect  to  find  in  a  country  where  a  common  clerk 
is  allowed  to  associate  with  gentlemen  ! ' ' 

"But,  begging  your  pardon,  Mr.  Mainwaring, "  the 
detective  interposed,  quietly,  ' '  Mr.  Scott  is  not  an  Ameri 
can.  He  has  lived  less  than  two  years  in  this  country." 

A  chorus  of  exclamations  followed  this  statement. 

"  Not  an  American  !  Then  he  must  be  an  Englishman, ' ' 
cried  Miss  Carleton,  her  sparkling  eyes  unconsciously  be 
traying  her  pleasure  at  the  discovery. 

"  Merrick,  are  you  sure  of  that?"  inquired  Mr.  Whit 
ney,  in  astonishment. 

' '  Certainly,  or  I  would  never  have  made  the  assertion 
I  did." 

Ralph  Mainwaring  suddenly  turned  the  conversation. 
"How  about  that  will  business,  Mr.  Whitney?  When 
will  that  come  off?" 

"The  petition  was  filed  this  afternoon,  and  will  be 
granted  a  hearing  some  time  next  week ;  I  have  not  yet 
learned  the  day. ' ' 

"And  then  will  you  gentlemen  be  ready  to  start  for 
home?"  Mrs.  Mainwaring  inquired,  a  touch  of  impatience 
in  her  voice. 

' '  Well,  by  my  soul !  I  should  say  not, ' '  laughed  Mr. 
Thornton,  before  her  husband  could  reply.  "It  will 
probably  take  a  number  of  months,  my  dear  madam,  to 
settle  up  this  estate,  even  if  there  should  be  no  contest ; 
and  if  the  case  is  contested,  it  may  drag  on  for  years,  eh, 
Mr.  Whitney?" 

"That  will  depend  upon  circumstances.  A  contest 
would,  of  course,  delay  the  case,  perhaps  for  several 
months;  but  I  am  not  aware  of  any  contestants  with 
sufficient  means  for  continuing  it  the  length  of  time  you 
mention." 

"Mercy  me!"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Mainwaring,  addressing 
171 


her  husband;  ''do  you  and  Hugh  intend  to  remain  here 
all  that  time  ?' ' 

"Our  stay  will  probably  be  somewhat  indefinite,"  he 
replied,  evasively  ;  "  but  that  is  no  reason  why  you  and  the 
young  ladies  need  remain  against  your  will." 

"Indeed  !  Why  could  you  not  have  said  as  much  be 
fore?  Neither  Isabel  nor  I  care  to  remain  here  a  day 
longer  than  is  necessary;  we  have  simply  been  awaiting 
your  pleasure.  Wilson,  bring  me  the  morning  papers ;  I 
want  to  see  what  boats  are  expected.  We  will  take  the 
first  steamer  home.  Mr.  Thornton,  will  you  and  the 
young  ladies  accompany  us,  or  do  you  prefer  to  remain  in 
exile  a  while  longer  ?' ' 

"Well,"  replied  that  gentleman,  smiling  genially, 
"speaking  for  myself,  I  would  more  than  half  like  to 
stay  and  see  this  thing  through ;  but  the  ladies  are  in  the 
majority,  and  I  will  abide  by  their  decision.  How  is  it, 
Edith  ?  I  suppose,  as  the  novelists  say,  you  will  be  '  torn 
by  conflicting  emotions. '  ' 

"You  horrid  old  papa!  Of  course,  if  auntie  is  going 
back,  I  shall  go  with  her.  What  do  you  say,  Wini 
fred?" 

"I  have  very  little  choice,  one  way  or  the  other,"  Miss 
Carleton  replied,  more  quietly  than  was  usual  for  her; 
"whatever  you  and  Uncle  William  decide,  will  suit  me." 

"Ah,  here  are  the  papers!"  said  Mrs.  Mainwaring, 
adjusting  her  eye-glasses.  "These  dreadful  American 
dailies!"  she  exclaimed,  as  she  scanned  the  pages;  "one 
never  knows  where  to  find  anything.  Ah,  here  it  is, 
and  just  what  we  want !  The  '  Campania'  sails  Thurs 
day,  at  three  o'clock.  That  will  suit  us  exactly." 

"To-morrow  !  so  soon  !"  exclaimed  two  or  three  voices. 

"Certainly,"  she  replied,  rising.  "I  shall  have  the 
maids  begin  packing  at  once ;  and,  Mr.  Thornton,  I  shall 

172 


THE  EXIT  OF  SCOTT,  THE  SECRETARY 

instruct  Wilson  to  attend  directly  to  your  luggage,  for  you 
would  never  think  of  it  until  within  an  hour  of  sailing." 

Her  departure  seemed  the  signal  for  the  breaking  up  of 
the  little  company.  Mr.  Whitney  lingered  a  few  moments 
at  Miss  Carleton's  side,  with  a  few  murmured  words  of 
regret  that  she  was  to  leave  so  soon,  to  which  she  listened 
courteously,  though  making  little  response.  After  he  had 
gone  she  remained  standing  where  he  had  left  her,  gazing 
dreamily  out  on  the  river  and  the  distant  bluffs.  Merrick, 
slowly  sauntering  up  and  down  the  veranda,  had  observed 
the  whole  scene,  and  now  watched  the  fair  young  face  with 
a  suggestion  of  a  smile  in  his  kindly  eyes. 

"H'm!"  he  soliloquized;  "  AVhitney  is  a  bigger  fool 
than  I've  given  him  credit  for  if  he  thinks  he  stands  any 
show  in  that  direction.  If  I'm  not  mistaken,  I  know 
which  way  the  wind  blows,  and  it's  dollars  to  doughnuts 
she'll  lose  that  far-away  expression  of  hers  before  she's 
been  aboard  the  'Campania'  many  hours.  I'd  like  to  be 
aboard  myself  and  watch  the  transformation  scene. ' ' 

The  attorney's  voice  here  broke  in  upon  his  cogitations. 

' '  I  say,  Merrick,  that  was  a  regular  bomb  you  threw  at 
Mainwaring  with  regard  to  young  Scott !  How  did  you 
discover  he  was  an  Englishman  ?" 

"  I  very  easily  ascertained  that  he  was  not  an  American  ; 
that  he  was  of  English  descent  followed  as  a  matter  of 
course.  I  am  not  sure  whether  he  is  of  English  birth." 

"  You  seem  to  be  keeping  an  eye  on  him." 

"It  is  my  business  just  now  to  be  posted  regarding 
every  one  associated  with  this  place.  I've  been  keeping 
an  eye  on  you  for  the  last  thirty  minutes." 

The  attorney  colored,  and  hastily  reverted  to  the  original 
topic  of  conversation.  "Have  you  seen  anything  of  him 
since  he  left  us  ?' ' 

"Since  his  resignation  of  the  salary  as  well  as  the 
173 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

position  of  private  secretary  ?' '  queried  the  detective,  half 
to  himself,  with  a  tone  of  amusement,  which  Mr.  Whitney 
failed  to  comprehend.  "Yes;  I  met  him  to-day  at  the 
Murray  Hill." 

"At  the  Murray  Hill !     Is  he  stopping  there ?" 

"He  evidently  was  this  morning.  So  was  I.  Possibly 
we  were  both  '  stopping'  on  the  same  business ;  I  cannot 
say." 

The  detective's  face  was  a  study,  as  was  also  the  attor 
ney's. 

"I  supposed,"  said  the  latter,  after  a  short  pause, 
"from  the  tenor  of  his  note,  that  he  intended  to  leave  the 
city  at  once." 

"Possibly  he  does,"  replied  the  other,  enigmatically, 
and,  having  consulted  his  watch,  turned  abruptly  in 
another  direction. 

"Say,  what  will  you  do  about  him?  Shall  you  watch 
him  ?' '  Mr.  Whitney  called  after  the  vanishing  figure. 

Merrick  looked  back  over  his  shoulder  with  a  peculiar 
smile.  "I  shall  not  lose  track  of  him,"  he  said,  slowly; 
"he  is  too  interesting. ' ' 


174 


CHAPTER    XV 

MUTUAL    SURPRISES 

THE  Mainwaring  party  was  among  the  latest  arrivals  at 
the  pier  on  the  following  day,  owing  to  the  dilatoriness  of 
Mr.  Thornton,  Mrs.  Mainwaring' s  efforts  to  the  contrary 
notwithstanding.  At  the  last  moment  he  appeared,  serenely 
and  smilingly  unconscious  of  that  lady's  frowns  of  dis 
pleasure,  to  the  infinite  amusement  of  his  daughter,  who 
whispered  to  Miss  Carleton, — 

"Poor  papa!  See  how  auntie  glares  at  him,  and  he 
does  not  even  know  it. ' ' 

But  even  Mrs.  Mainwaring' s  facial  muscles  relaxed 
slightly  at  the  sight  of  the  beautiful  ocean  greyhound  lying 
in  the  harbor,  her  flags  waving  and  streamers  fluttering  in 
the  breeze,  awaiting  only  the  captain's  orders  to  start  on 
her  homeward  course. 

The  decks  were  crowded  with  humanity,  for  the  most 
part  laughing  and  chatting  gayly  and  singing  bits  of  song, 
though  here  and  there  were  sad,  tear-stained  faces,  where 
long  farewells,  some  of  them  perhaps  the  last  farewells, 
were  being  spoken. 

"Thank  heaven,  there'll  be  no  tears  shed  on  this  occa 
sion!"  said  Isabel  Mainwaring;  "unless,"  she  added, 
with  a  glance  of  scorn  towards  Miss  Carleton's  escort, 
"Mr.  Whitney  should  contribute  a  few.  I  detest  such 
vulgar  demonstrations  in  public  !" 

The  attorney  certainly  did  not  look  very  cheerful,  and 
even  Miss  Carleton's  sunny  face  was  somewhat  overcast, 


THAT    MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

though  why,   it  would  seem  difficult  to  determine,   since 
she  seemed  to  have  no  regrets  at  leaving  America. 

"Mercy  me!"  ejaculated  Mrs.  Mainwaring,  "what  a 
dreadful  crowd !  It  is  far  worse  than  when  we  came 
over.  Hugh,  I  wonder  if  your  father  examined  the  ship's 
list.  I  particularly  requested  him  to  do  so.  I  wished  to 
ascertain  whether  there  would  be  any  friends  of  ours  on 
board.  One  does  not  care  to  make  acquaintances  promis 
cuously,  you  know. ' ' 

"I  don't  think  the  governor  investigated  the  subject 
very  thoroughly, "  young  Mainwaring  replied,  with  a  laugh. 
"I  noticed  when  we  registered  there  were  three  or  four 
pages  of  names  preceding  ours,  and  I  don't  think  he  gave 
the  matter  much  attention.  If  I  had  time  I  would  look  it 
it  up  for  you,  mother,  but  we  must  go  ashore  in  a  few 
moments. ' ' 

"If  I  am  not  mistaken,  my  dear  lady,"  said  Mr. 
Thornton,  who  had  overheard  the  conversation,  ' '  you  will 
have  little  time  or  inclination  for  looking  up  acquaintances 
on  this  trip." 

"  May  I  ask  why?"  Mrs.  Mainwaring  demanded. 

"I  think,"  he  replied,  maliciously,  "that  you  and 
Isabel  will  be  too  much  occupied  in  cultivating  the  ac 
quaintance  of  mal  de  mer  to  care  for  your  best  friends. ' ' 

"How's  that,  Thornton?  Think  it  will  be  rough?" 
inquired  Ralph  Mainwaring. 

"The  captain  tells  me  the  wind  is  freshening  every 
moment,  and  we'll  have  a  decidedly  choppy  sea  before 
night.  I'm  thinking  we'll  have  a  nasty  trip." 

' '  In  that  case,  perhaps  mamma  and  I  will  not  be  the 
only  victims, ' '  said  Isabel  Mainwaring. 

"I  fear  not,"  responded  Mr.  Thornton.  "Were  it  not 
for  my  inherent  chivalry,  I  should  turn  back ;  but  I  cannot 
leave  you  ladies  to  meet  your  fate  alone." 

176 


"MUTUAL   SURPRISES 

Amid  the  general  confusion  of  leave-taking,  Mr.  Whitney 
turned  towards  Miss  Carleton,  saying  in  a  low  tone,  as  he 
took  her  hand, — 

"  I  have  received  cordial  invitations  both  from  yourself 
and  Mr.  Thornton  to  visit  your  home,  and  I  feel  assured  of 
a  welcome  should  I  accept  your  courtesy ;  but,  pardon  me, 
Miss  Carleton,  if,  after  so  brief  an  acquaintance  as  ours, 
I  inquire  whether  I  might  ever  hope  for  a  welcome  from 
you  other  than  that  of  a  friend  ?' ' 

The  beautiful  brown  eyes  met  his  own  frankly,  but  all 
the  laughter  and  sunshine  had  gone  out  of  them.  They 
were  serious  and  had  almost  a  look  of  pain. 

"I  am  sorry,  Mr.  Whitney,"  she  said,  simply;  "but  it 
would  be  very  unjust  if  I  led  you  to  hope  that  I  could  ever 
regard  you  other  than  as  an  esteemed  friend." 

"Pardon  me  for  troubling  you,"  he  said,  gently. 
"Believe  me  always  your  friend,  and  forget  that  I  ever 
asked  for  more  than  friendship, ' '  and,  releasing  her  hand, 
he  passed  on  to  the  others. 

The  final  adieus  were  spoken ;  Ralph  Mainwaring  and 
his  son,  accompanied  by  the  attorney,  went  ashore ;  and 
Miss  Carleton,  not  caring  just  then  to  meet  the  curious 
glances  of  her  companions,  walked  slowly  towards  the 
forward  part  of  the  deck.  She  had  gone  but  a  few  steps, 
however,  when  she  caught  sight  of  the  familiar  figure  of 
Mr.  Merrick  at  a  little  distance,  in  conversation  with  a 
tall,  slender  man,  with  dark,  piercing  eyes.  He  was 
speaking  rapidly  in  low  tones,  but  his  usually  non-com 
mittal  face  wore  an  expression  of  unmistakable  satisfaction. 
Suddenly  he  turned  and  walked  swiftly  in  Miss  Carleton's 
direction.  Their  eyes  met,  and  in  response  to  her  glance 
of  recognition  he  quickly  crossed  to  where  she  was  standing. 

' '  I  have  but  a  few  seconds  left,  Miss  Carleton, ' '  he  said, 
a  genial  smile  lighting  up  his  face ;  "but  I  am  glad  of  an 


THAT    MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

opportunity  to  wish  you  a  pleasant  trip.  Are  you  a  good 
sailor?" 

"  I  hardly  know,"  she  answered.  "  I  have  had  so  little 
experience  on  the  sea.  Why  ?  Shall  we  have  a  stormy 
passage,  do  you  think?" 

"Nothing  dangerous;  a  little  rough,  perhaps;  but  with 
congenial  company,  such  as  I  trust  you  will  find, ' '  and  his 
eyes  gleamed  with  kindly  merriment,  "you  will  hardly 
mind  that.  Good-by,  Miss  Carleton  ;  bon  voyage ;  and 
if  I  can  ever  in  any  way  serve  you  as  a  friend,  do  not  fail 
to  command  me,"  and  before  she  could  reply  he  had 
vanished  in  the  crowd.  She  looked  in  vain  for  any  trace 
of  him ;  then  turning  to  glance  at  his  companion  of  a 
moment  before,  discovered  that  he  had  disappeared  also. 

A  moment  later  the  great  ocean  liner  glided  majestically 
out  from  the  harbor  amid  prolonged  cheers  and  a  final 
flutter  of  farewells ;  but  she  was  well  out  upon  the  tossing 
waves  ere  Miss  Carleton  turned  from  watching  the  receding 
shore  to  join  her  friends,  as  yet  having  found  no  solution 
of  the  problem  perplexing  her,  nor  even  the  meaning 
which  she  felt  must  be  concealed  in  the  words  of  the 
detective. 

They  had  not  been  out  many  hours  before  it  became 
evident  that  Mr.  Thornton's  unfavorable  predictions  re 
garding  their  journey  were  likely  to  be  fulfilled.  The  sea 
was  decidedly  "choppy"  and  the  motion  of  the  boat 
anything  but  exhilarating. 

When  the  hour  for  dinner  arrived,  Mr.  Thornton,  his 
daughter,  and  Miss  Carleton  were  the  only  members  of 
their  party  to  venture  forth  to  the  dining-saloon,  the 
others  preferring  to  have  a  light  repast  served  in  their 
own  apartments.  The  captain,  having  discovered  in  Mr. 
Thornton  an  old-time  friend,  had  ordered  seats  for  him 
and  his  party  at  his  own  table,  and  the  young  ladies, 

178 


MUTUAL   SURPRISES 

finding  their  appetites  rather  an  uncertain  quantity,  had 
plenty  of  opportunity  for  observing  their  fellow-passengers, 
particularly  an  Anglomaniac  of  the  most  pronounced  type, 
in  the  person  of  a  callow  youth  seated  opposite  them,  whose 
monocle,  exaggerated  collar,  and  affected  drawl  afforded 
them  considerable  amusement. 

"  Winifred, "  said  Miss  Thornton,  as  they  were  leaving 
the  dining-saloon,  ' '  do  you  see  that  young  Englishman  at 
the  farther  table  ?' ' 

Her  cousin  glanced  carelessly  in  the  direction  indicated, 
noting  the  fine,  athletic  figure  seated,  back  towards  them, 
at  some  distance,  attired  in  heavy  English  tweed. 

"Yes.      What  of  him?" 

"  Nothing  in  particular ;  only  the  sight  of  him  is  such  a 
relief,  you  know,  after  that  wretched  caricature  at  our  table. ' ' 

"Poor  little  harmless  dudelet!"  mused  Winifred,  with 
a  smile;  "his  self-complacency  will  be  short-lived  when 
ever  he  meets  Isabel.  She  will  simply  annihilate  him  with 
one  of  those  glances  of  hers  ! ' ' 

At  Miss  Carleton's  suggestion,  they  went  on  deck;  but 
Edith  grew  so  rapidly  ill  that  her  cousin  assisted  her  below 
to  their  own  elegant  suite  of  apartments,  which  adjoined, 
on  one  side,  those  occupied  by  Mrs.  Mainwaring  and  her 
daughter,  while  on  the  other  was  a  comfortable  state-room 
belonging  to  Mrs.  Hogarth. 

Finding  Mrs.  Mainwaring  and  Isabel  already  reduced  to 
a  state  of  abject  helplessness  which  required  the  attendance 
of  both  maids  as  well  as  of  the  stewardess,  Miss  Carleton 
left  Edith  in  Mrs.  Hogarth's  care,  and,  wrapping  herself 
warmly,  again  went  on  deck.  The  wind  was  increasing 
and  she  found  the  decks  nearly  deserted,  but  the  solitude 
and  the  storm  suited  her  mood  just  then,  and,  wrapping 
her  rug  closely  about  her,  she  seated  herself  in  a  com 
paratively  sheltered  place,  alone  with  her  own  thoughts. 

179 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

As  she  recalled  the  parting  interview  with  Mr.  Whitney, 
another  face  seemed  to  flash  before  her  vision,  and  a  half- 
formed  query,  which  had  been  persistently  haunting  her  for 
the  last  few  hours,  now  took  definite  shape  and  demanded 
a  reply.  What  would  have  been  the  result  if  that  other, 
instead  of  leaving  without  one  word  of  farewell,  had  asked 
for  the  hope  of  something  better  and  deeper  than  friend 
ship  ?  What  would  her  answer  have  been  ?  Even  in  the 
friendly  shadow  of  the  deepening  twilight  she  shrank  from 
facing  the  truth  gradually  forcing  itself  upon  her. 

A  solitary  figure  pacing  the  deck  aroused  her  from  her 
revery.  As  he  approached  she  recognized  the  young 
Englishman  of  whom  Edith  had  spoken.  Dressed  in 
warm  jacket,  with  cap  well  pulled  down  over  his  eyes 
and  hands  clasped  behind  him,  he  strode  the  rolling  deck 
with  step  as  firm  and  free  as  though  walking  the  streets  of 
his  native  city.  She  watched  him  with  admiration,  till 
something  in  his  carriage  reminded  her  of  the  young 
secretary  at  Fair  Oaks,  and  in  the  sudden  thrill  of  pleasure 
produced  by  that  reminder  there  was  revealed  to  her 
inner  consciousness  a  confirmation  of  the  truth  she  sought 
to  evade. 

She  watched  the  retreating  figure  with  flashing  eyes  and 
burning  cheeks.  "It  is  not  true!"  she  exclaimed,  to 
herself,  passionately.  ' '  I  do  not  care  for  him  !  It  was 
only  a  fancy,  a  foolish  infatuation,  of  which,  thank  heaven, 
neither  he  nor  any  one  else  shall  ever  know. ' ' 

But  the  monarch  who  had  taken  possession  of  her  heart, 
call  him  by  what  name  she  chose,  was  not  to  be  so  easily 
dethroned. 

Meanwhile,  the  young  English  stranger  passed  and  re- 
passed,  unconscious  of  the  figure  in  the  shadow,  uncon 
scious  of  the  aversion  with  which  one  of  his  countrywomen 
regarded  him  because  of  his  resemblance  to  another.  He, 

1 80 


MUTUAL   SURPRISES 

too,  was  vainly  seeking  the  solution  of  problems  which 
baffled  him  at  every  turn,  and  waging  an  ineffectual  war 
fare  against  the  invisible  but  potent  sovereign — Love. 

All  that  night  the  storm  raged  with  increasing  fury,  and 
morning  found  the  entire  Mainwaring  party  "on  the 
retired  list,"  as  Miss  Carleton  expressed  it.  She  herself 
was  the  last  to  succumb,  but  finally  forced  to  an  ignomini 
ous  surrender,  she  submitted  to  the  inevitable  with  as  good 
grace  as  possible,  only  stipulating  that  she  be  left  entirely 
to  herself. 

Towards  night  the  storm  abated  slightly,  and,  weary 
of  her  own  thoughts,  which  had  been  anything  but  agree 
able,  and  bored  by  the  society  of  her  companions  in 
misery,  she  wrapped  her  rug  warmly  about  her  and  ven 
tured  out  on  deck.  The  air,  laden  with  salt  spray,  seemed 
invigorating,  and  without  much  difficulty  she  found  her 
way  to  her  sheltered  corner  of  the  preceding  evening. 
She  had  been  seated  but  a  few  moments,  however,  when 
the  young  Englishman  made  his  appearance,  as  preoccupied 
and  unconscious  of  his  surroundings  and  as  free  from  any 
symptoms  of  discomfort  as  when  she  had  last  seen  him. 
The  sight  of  him  was  the  signal  for  the  return  of  the 
thoughts  which  had  that  day  kept  her  company.  She 
cast  a  wrathful  glance  upon  the  unconscious  young  stranger 
just  then  passing,  his  perfect  health  and  evident  good 
humor  under  existing  circumstances  adding  to  her  sense  of 
injury  and  exasperation.  She  grew  ill,  and  determined  to 
return  at  once  to  her  apartments,  but  found  her  progress 
against  the  gale  slower  and  more  difficult  than  she  had 
anticipated.  Dizzy  and  faint,  she  had  just  reached  the 
stairs  when  a  sudden  lurch  threw  her  violently  to  one  side  ; 
she  staggered  helplessly  and  would  have  fallen,  but  at  that 
instant  a  strong  arm  was  thrown  about  her  and  she  felt 
herself  lifted  bodily.  With  a  sigh  of  relief  she  turned 

181 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

her  head  towards  her  rescuer,  supposing  him  one  of  the 
officers  of  the  ship,  only  to  discover,  to  her  horror,  that 
she  was  in  the  arms  of  the  young  Englishman.  His  face 
was  in  the  shadow,  but  the  light  falling  on  her  own  face 
revealed  her  features,  and  at  that  instant  she  heard  a 
smothered  exclamation, — 

"  Great  heavens  !  can  it  be  possible?" 

Something  in  the  tone  startled  her  and  she  listened, 
hoping  he  would  speak  again.  He  did  not ;  but  she  noted 
the  tenderness  with  which  she  was  borne  down  the  stairs 
and  put  in  care  of  the  stewardess.  Again  she  listened 
eagerly  for  his  voice,  but  his  words  were  brief  and  in  an 
altered  tone. 

During  the  succeeding  twenty-four  hours  in  which  Miss 
Carleton  tossed  in  misery,  one  thought  was  uppermost  in 
her  mind, — to  discover,  if  possible,  the  identity  of  the 
stranger  who  had  come  to  her  assistance.  The  only  in 
formation  obtainable,  however,  was  that  he  was  evidently 
a  gentleman  of  wealth,  travelling  alone,  and  apparently 
with  no  acquaintance  on  board  with  the  exception  of  a 
young  English  officer.  She  determined,  at  the  earliest 
possible  moment,  to  meet  her  mysterious  rescuer  and  thank 
him  for  his  kindness,  but  was  unable  to  carry  her  plan  into 
immediate  execution.  Meantime,  she  learned  that  he  had 
twice  inquired  for  her. 

On  Sunday  afternoon,  their  fourth  day  out,  the  storm 
had  ceased  and  the  weather  was  gradually  clearing,  and 
Miss  Carleton,  somewhat  pale  but  quite  herself  again, 
came  out  for  a  promenade.  She  found  quite  a  number  of 
passengers  on  deck,  but  for  some  time  she  looked  in  vain 
for  her  unknown  friend.  At  last,  after  several  brisk  turns, 
she  saw  him  standing  at  a  little  distance,  talking  with  the 
tall,  dark-eyed  man  whom  she  had  seen  in  conversation 
with  Mr.  Merrick.  The  younger  man's  cap  was  thrown 

182 


MUTUAL   SURPRISES 

back,  revealing  to  Miss  Carleton  the  fine  profile,  almost 
classical  in  its  beauty,  of  the  secretary  at  Fair  Oaks.  For 
a  moment  her  pulse  throbbed  wildly.  She  felt  a  thrill  of 
pleasure,  not  unmingled  with  a  twinge  of  the  resentment 
which  she  had  been  nursing  for  the  last  few  days.  Then 
she  walked  calmly  in  his  direction,  saying  to  herself, — 

"At  least,  I  will  thank  him  for  his  kindness.  I  am 
no  love-lorn  peasant  maid  wearing  my  heart  upon  my 
sleeve  ! ' ' 

She  had  nearly  reached  his  side,  though  he  was  unaware 
of  her  presence,  when  the  young  English  officer  approached 
from  the  other  side  and,  slapping  him  familiarly  upon  the 
shoulder,  exclaimed, — 

"Well,  Mainwaring,  my  boy,  you've  kept  your  sea-legs 
well  on  this  trip." 

The  tall,  dark-eyed  man  withdrew,  and  Miss  Carleton, 
utterly  bewildered,  turned  and  slowly  retraced  her  steps. 
Mainwaring  !  What  did  it  mean  ?  She  heard  the  name 
distinctly,  and  he  had  taken  it  as  a  matter  of  course, 
replying  pleasantly  and  quietly,  as  though  he  had  known 
no  other  name.  The  mystery  which  she  had  thought  to 
solve  had  only  deepened  tenfold.  She  was  aroused  by 
the  cheery  voice  of  the  captain. 

' '  Well,  well,  Miss  Carleton,  glad  to  see  you  out !  I 
congratulate  you  on  your  speedy  recovery.  How  are  the 
ladies?  and  how  is  my  old  friend  Thornton?" 

They  took  a  few  turns  up  and  down,  chatting  pleasantly, 
till  Miss  Carleton,  looking  into  the  face  overflowing  with 
kindliness  and  good  humor,  said, — 

"Captain,  I  have  a  great  favor  to  ask  of  you." 

' '  Granted,  my  dear  young  lady,  to  the  half  of  my 
kingdom  !" 

"May  I  have  your  permission  to  examine  the  list  of 
cabin  passengers?" 

183 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

The  captain  elevated  his  shaggy  eyebrows  and  his  eyes 
twinkled  with  merriment.  "Ah  !  anxious  to  learn  if  some 
particular  friend  is  on  board,  I  suppose.  Some  one  was 
inquiring  of  me  the  other  night  regarding  your  identity. ' ' 

"Indeed!"  said  Miss  Carleton,  a  world  of  inquiry  in 
her  eyes. 

"Yes;  Mr.  Mainwaring,  the  gentleman  conversing  with 
Lieutenant  Cohen  over  there.  He  and  I  both  went  to 
your  assistance  the  other  evening,  but,  much  to  my  regret, 
he  was  quicker  than  I.  He  remarked  to  me  after  he  came 
back  on  deck  that  he  had  supposed  you  were  a  stranger, 
but  that  your  face  looked  familiar.  He  asked  your  name, 
and  whether  you  were  with  Mr.  Thornton  and  his  daughter, 
stating  that  he  had  met  you.  Correct,  I  presume?" 

"Quite  so,"  said  Miss  Carleton,  quietly. 

"And  now  about  that  passenger  list,  Miss  Carleton; 
you  have  my  permission  to  examine  it,  and  I  will  accom 
pany  you  myself. ' ' 

She  thanked  him.  "Are  you  acquainted  with  Mr. 
Mainwaring?"  she  inquired,  carelessly. 

"  Never  met  him  until  this  trip.  On  first  learning  his 
name,  I  supposed  him  to  be  a  member  of  your  party,  as  he 
is  evidently  a  gentleman ;  but  I  soon  learned  that  he  was 
alone." 

A  few  moments  later  the  register  was  opened  for  Miss 
Carleton's  inspection,  but  she  did  not  have  to  search  long. 
Half-way  down  the  first  page  she  found,  in  the  familiar 
writing  of  the  secretary,  the  name  which  she  sought — 
' '  Harold  Scott  Mainwaring. ' ' 


184 


CHAPTER    XVI 

MUTUAL    EXPLANATIONS 

THANKING  the  captain  for  his  courtesy,  Miss  Carleton 
returned  to  her  accustomed  seat  on  deck,  and,  since  one 
is  never  more  alone  than  when  surrounded  by  a  crowd 
of  utter  strangers,  she  felt  at  liberty  to  pursue  her  own 
thoughts  without  interruption. 

She  could  scarcely  credit  what  her  own  ears  had  heard 
or  her  eyes  had  seen.  Harold  Scott  Mainwaring  !  What 
could  it  mean?  Could  it  be  possible  that  the  secretary, 
having  familiarized  himself  with  the  family  history  of  the 
Mainwarings,  was  now  masquerading  under  an  assumed 
name  for  some  object  of  his  own  ?  But  she  dismissed  this 
idea  at  once.  She  had  assured  him  at  Fair  Oaks  that  she 
believed  him  incapable  of  anything  false  or  dishonorable, 
and  she  would  abide  by  that  belief  until  convinced  other 
wise.  But  if  this  were  indeed  his  name,  what  had  been 
his  object  in  assuming  the  role  of  Scott,  the  secretary? 
Which  was  genuine  and  which  assumed  ?  Who  could  tell  ? 

As  if  in  answer  to  her  thoughts,  she  saw  the  subject  of 
them  approaching.  He  was  alone  and  looking  in  her 
direction,  and  on  reading  the  recognition  in  her  glance, 
his  own  face  lighted  with  a  smile  that  banished  the  last 
shade  of  resentment  and  suspicion  from  her  mind,  albeit 
there  was  a  question  in  her  eyes  which  prepared  him  in  a 
measure  for  her  first  words.  With  a  smile  as  bright  as 
those  with  which  she  had  been  accustomed  to  greet  him  at 
Fair  Oaks,  she  extended  her  hand,  saying,  slowly, — 

' '  Mr.  Mainwaring,  this  is  indeed  a  surprise  ! ' ' 
185 


She  watched  him  closely,  but  there  was  not  the  quiver 
of  an  eyelash,  only  a  slow,  inscrutable  smile,  as  he 
replied, — 

"Miss  Carleton,  I  will  add  to  that,  and  say  that  this  is 
the  pleasantest  surprise  of  my  life. ' ' 

She  blushed  at  the  implied  meaning  of  his  words,  and 
he  added, — 

"  I  have  not  seen  you  on  deck  until  to-day." 

"Not  last  Friday  evening?"  she  inquired,  archly. 

His  smile  deepened.  "  I  did  not  know  that  it  was  you 
at  that  time  until  after  I  had  started  below.  Did  you 
recognize  me?" 

' '  I  thought  I  recognized  your  voice ;  and  I  have  often 
wished  to  thank  you  for  your  kindness,  but  this  is  my  first 
opportunity,  as  I  have  not  been  out  since  until  to-day." 

"  Please  do  not  mention  it.  Had  I  dreamed  who  it  was 
thus  braving  the  storm,  I  would  have  offered  my  assistance 
earlier.  I  have  not  yet  recovered  from  my  surprise  on 
discovering  the  identity  of  my  fellow-passenger  that  even 
ing." 

' '  Indeed  ! ' '  laughed  Miss  Carleton  ;  ' '  my  presence  here 
is  very  easily  explained.  It  is  simply  the  result  of  one  of 
Mrs.  Mainwaring's  numerous  whims,  as  she  suddenly  de 
cided  upon  an  immediate  return  to  England.  I  think, 
however,  that  the  surprise  was  mutual." 

' '  Accordingly,  I  suppose  that  mutual  explanations  should 
follow,"  he  answered,  lightly.  Then  added,  more  seri 
ously,  ' '  Miss  Carleton,  I  am  aware  that  there  is  much  in 
my  conduct  that  must  seem  inexplicable  to  you.  In  a  few 
weeks  everything  will  have  been  made  clear,  in  the  natural 
course  of  events ;  but,  if  you  would  be  at  all  interested  to 
hear,  I  would  greatly  prefer  that  you  should  have  a  perfect 
understanding  of  the  situation  before  the  facts  become 
generally  known. ' ' 

1 86 


MUTUAL   EXPLANATIONS 

' '  I  should  greatly  appreciate  such  a  mark  of  confidence, ' ' 
she  replied. 

' '  If  agreeable  to  you,  Miss  Carleton,  let  us  pass  around 
to  the  other  side ;  it  is  less  crowded  there.  My  friend  and 
I  have  two  chairs,  and,  as  he  has  gone  to  his  state-room  to 
do  some  writing,  we  shall  be  in  no  danger  of  interruption." 

When  comfortably  seated,  the  young  man  said,  "It  is  a 
strange  story  which  I  have  to  tell,  but  I  will  try  not  to  tax 
your  patience  too  severely.  One  week  ago  this  afternoon, 
Miss  Carleton,  in  passing  through  the  hall  at  Fair  Oaks,  I 
accidentally  overheard  a  portion  of  your  conversation  with 
Mr.  Whitney,  as  you  related  to  him  the  story  of  the  unfor 
tunate  love  and  death  of  my  father,  Harold  Scott  Main- 
waring.  ' ' 

Miss  Carleton  started  violently,  but  said  nothing,  and, 
after  a  slight  pause,  the  speaker  continued, — 

"  My  earliest  recollections  are  of  a  home  in  Australia, 
with  foster-parents,  whose  name  it  is  unnecessary  to  men 
tion,  but  whose  care  and  love  for  me  seem,  as  I  now  look 
back,  to  have  equalled  that  bestowed  by  natural  parents 
upon  their  own  child.  Not  until  I  had  reached  the  age  of 
fifteen  years  did  I  ever  hear  of  my  own  father.  I  then 
learned  that  he  had  given  me,  at  birth,  into  the  keeping 
of  my  foster-parents,  with  instructions  that,  unless  he  him 
self  should  call  for  me,  I  was  not  even  to  know  of  his 
existence  until  within  five  or  six  years  of  my  majority.  I 
learned,  further,  that  his  action  in  thus  placing  me  in  the 
hands  of  others  had  been  solely  on  account  of  deep  trouble 
and  sorrow,  of  which  he  wished  me  to  know  nothing  until 
I  had  reached  the  years  of  manhood.  When  giving  me 
into  their  keeping  he  had  also  given  them  a  small  packet, 
containing  a  sealed  letter,  which  was  to  be  read  by  me  on 
my  twenty-first  birthday,  if  he  had  not  himself  claimed  me 
before  that  time.  I  was  told  that,  while  I  was  too  young 

187 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

to  retain  any  remembrance  of  him,  he  frequently  visited 
me  and  manifested  the  greatest  devotion  to  his  child,  but 
as  I  grew  older  he  remained  away,  writing  occasionally  to 
my  foster-father. 

"  In  the  last  letter  received  from  him,  when  I  was  about 
five  years  of  age,  he  stated  that  he  was  going  to  Africa  to 
make  a  fortune  for  his  son.  Nothing  further  was  heard 
from  him  until  there  came  tidings  of  his  death  at  sea,  in 
the  manner  which  you  recently  related. 

"Of  all  this  I,  of  course,  knew  nothing  until  ten  years 
later,  but  what  was  told  me  at  that  time  made  a  deep 
impression  upon  me.  Of  my  mother  I  could  learn  abso 
lutely  nothing ;  but  for  my  father,  of  whom  I  had  no 
personal  knowledge,  and  concerning  whom  there  seemed  so 
much  that  was  mysterious,  I  felt  a  love  and  reverence 
almost  akin  to  adoration,  and  I  longed  for  the  day  to  come 
when  I  could  read  the  letter  he  had  left  for  me  and  learn 
the  whole  secret  of  that  sad  life. 

"My  twenty-first  birthday  arrived,  and  the  mysterious 
little  packet  was  placed  in  my  hands.  It  contained  a  few 
valuable  keepsakes  and  my  father's  letter,  written  out  of 
the  bitter  anguish  of  a  broken  heart.  He  told  the  story 
of  his  disinheritance,  with  which  you  are  familiar ;  but  the 
loss  of  the  property  he  cared  little  for  in  comparison  with 
the  loss  of  his  father's  love ;  but  even  that  was  as  nothing 
to  the  sorrow  which  followed  swiftly  and  which  broke  his 
heart.  He  stated  that,  because  of  this  great  sorrow,  he 
had  placed  me  in  the  hands  of  trusted  friends  that  I  should 
be  banished  from  the  false-hearted  woman  who  had  borne 
me  and  who  believed  me  dead,  as  it  was  his  wish  that  neither 
of  us  should  ever  know  of  the  existence  of  the  other. ' ' 

Harold  Mainwaring  paused  for  a  moment,  and  Miss 
Carleton,  who  had  been  listening  with  great  interest, 
exclaimed, — 

1 88 


MUTUAL   EXPLANATIONS 

"And  is  it  possible,  Mr.  Mainwaring,  that,  in  all  these 
years,  you  have  had  no  knowledge  concerning  your  mother  ?' ' 

''It  is  a  fact,  Miss  Carleton,  that  I  do  not  even  know 
her  name,  or  whether  or  not  she  is  living.  I  only  hope 
and  pray  that  I  may  never  knowingly  meet  her,  for  her 
heart  and  life  must  be — pardon  the  expression — as  false 
and  as  black  as  hell  itself. ' ' 

There  was  a  look  on  his  face  which  Miss  Carleton  had 
never  seen.  Gradually,  however,  his  features  softened, 
and  he  continued, — 

"In  accordance  with  my  father's  wish,  expressed  in  the 
letter,  that  I  should  complete  my  studies  in  England,  I 
sailed  for  that  country  within  a  few  weeks  of  my  twenty- 
first  birthday ;  and  while  there  I  learned  that  part  of  my 
story  which  is  of  more  especial  interest  to  all  parties  con 
cerned  at  the  present  time. 

' '  I  had  been  but  a  few  months  in  England  when  I  felt  a 
great  desire  to  visit,  incognito,  the  old  Mainwaring  estate. 
Accordingly,  under  the  name  by  which  you  have  known 
me,  I  arrived  at  the  estate,  only  to  learn  that  the  home  of 
my  father's  boyhood,  and  of  the  Mainwarings  for  several 
generations,  had  passed  into  the  hands  of  strangers.  My 
grandfather  had  died  within  two  years  of  my  father's 
marriage,  and  the  younger  son  had  sold  the  estate  and 
gone  to  America.  Incidentally,  I  was  directed  to  an  old 
servant  of  my  grandfather's,  who  yet  remained  on  the 
place  and  who  could  give  me  its  whole  history.  That 
servant,  Miss  Carleton,  was  old  James  Wilson,  the  father 
of  John  Wilson,  Ralph  Mainwaring' s  present  valet." 

"Ah  !"  ejaculated  Miss  Carleton,  her  face  lighting  with 
pleasure ;  "I  have  seen  the  trusty  old  fellow  hundreds  of 
times,  you  know.  Indeed,  he  could  give  you  the  history 
of  all  the  Mainwarings  for  the  last  three  hundred  years." 

' '  He   gave   me   one   very   important   bit   of  history, ' ' 
189 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

Harold  Mainwaring  replied,  with  a  smile.  ''He  told  me 
that  old  Ralph  Mainwaring,  after  the  departure  of  his  son 
for  Australia,  failed  rapidly.  He  was  slowly  but  surely 
dying  of  a  broken  heart,  and,  though  he  never  mentioned 
the  name  of  his  elder  son,  it  was  evident  that  he  regretted 
his  own  harshness  and  severity  towards  him. 

"  On  the  night  before  his  death  he  suddenly  gave  orders 
for  an  attorney  to  be  summoned,  and  was  so  insistent  in  his 
demand,  that,  when  it  was  ascertained  that  his  old  solicitor, 
Alfred  Barton,  the  father  of  the  present  firm  of  Barton  &  Bar 
ton,  had  been  called  out  of  the  city,  a  young  lawyer,  Richard 
Hobson  by  name,  who  had  formerly  been  an  articled  clerk 
in  Barton's  office,  was  called  in  in  his  stead.  A  little  be 
fore  the  hour  of  midnight,  in  the  presence  of  his  son,  Hugh 
Mainwaring,  Richard  Hobson,  the  attorney,  and  Alexander 
McPherson,  an  old  and  trusted  Scotch  friend,  Ralph  Main- 
waring  caused  to  be  drawn  and  executed  a  will,  completely 
revoking  and  setting  aside  the  process  of  law  by  which 
Harold  Scott  Mainwaring  had  been  disinherited,  and 
restoring  to  him  his  full  rights  as  the  elder  son,  McPherson 
and  the  attorney  signing  the  will  as  witnesses. ' ' 

Miss  Carleton's  eyes  dilated  and  her  breath  came  and 
went  swiftly,  but  she  spoke  no  word  save  a  single,  quick 
exclamation. 

' '  James  Wilson,  the  servant,  was  also  present,  but  in  an 
obscure  corner,  and  his  presence  seems  to  have  been  unno 
ticed.  The  next  morning,  at  five  o'clock,  Ralph  Main- 
waring  passed  away,  happy  in  the  thought  that  he  had  at 
last  made  reparation  for  his  injustice  to  his  elder  son. 
Within  two  months  the  old  Scotchman  died,  and  Richard 
Hobson  was  then  the  sole  surviving  witness  of  the  last  will 
and  testament  of  Ralph  Maxwell  Mainwaring. 

' '  This  was  all  the  direct  information  I  could  obtain  from 
Wilson,  but  from  other  sources  I  learned  that  Hugh  Main- 

190 


MUTUAL   EXPLANATIONS 

waring  was  never  the  same  after  his  father's  death.  He 
grew  stern  and  taciturn,  and  would  allow  no  mention  of 
his  brother's  name,  and  within  two  years  he  had  disposed 
of  the  estate  and  left  England  forever ;  while  a  few  years 
later  tidings  were  received  of  the  death  of  Harold  Scott 
Mainwaring  at  sea.  I  also  learned  that  about  this  time 
Richard  Hobson  suddenly  rose  from  the  position  of  a 
penniless  pettifogger  to  that  of  an  affluent  attorney,  though 
he  was  engaged  in  questionable  speculations  far  more  than 
in  the  practice  of  law. 

' '  I  visited  the  chambers  of  Barton  &  Barton,  and  learned 
through  them  that  everything  had  been  adjusted  in  accord 
ance  with  the  terms  of  the  will  in  their  possession,  which 
disinherited  the  elder  son  ;  but  Hugh  Mainwaring' s  action 
in  disposing  of  the  estate  had  excited  considerable  comment. 

"  Having  pledged  them  to  secrecy,  I  disclosed  my  iden 
tity  and  related  to  them  the  story  of  the  old  servant.  To 
my  surprise,  they  were  inclined  to  give  the  story  credence ; 
and,  acting  upon  their  advice,  I  obtained  all  possible 
information  regarding  Hugh  Mainwaring,  and,  when  my 
studies  were  completed,  sailed  for  America,  with  the  ex 
press  determination  to  secure  proof  in  verification  of  the 
facts  which  I  had  already  gathered,  and  to  establish  my 
claim  as  the  legal  heir  of  the  Mainwaring  estate.  I  was 
not  without  means  to  do  this,  as  my  father  had  accumulated 
considerable  property  during  the  few  years  he  lived  in 
Australia,  and  my  foster-parents  are  people  of  wealth. 

"You  will  understand  now,  Miss  Carleton,  why  I  took 
the  position  of  private  secretary  to  Hugh  Mainwaring. 
You  will  realize  how  eagerly  I  studied  the  correspondence 
between  him  and  Richard  Hobson,  from  which  I  learned 
that  the  latter  was  extorting  large  sums  of  money  as  the 
price  of  his  silence  regarding  some  fraudulent  transaction, 
presumably  the  destruction  of  the  will ;  and  perhaps  you 

191 


THAT    MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

can  imagine  my  feelings  on  discovering,  one  day,  among 
Hugh  Mainwaring's  private  papers,  a  memorandum  to  the 
effect  that  the  will  had  never  been  destroyed,  but  was  still 
in  existence  and  in  his  possession.  I  knew  that  to  make 
any  demand  upon  him  for  the  document  would  be  worse 
than  useless,  as  he  would  never  admit  my  claim.  I  must 
find  it  for  myself.  I  searched  for  that  will  as  for  hidden 
treasure,  and,  Miss  Carleton,  I  found  it ! " 

"Oh!"  she  exclaimed,  unable  to  repress  her  emotion, 
"  I  am  so  glad  !  Do  tell  me  how  and  when  !" 

"I  found  it  on  the  last  day  of  Hugh  Mainwaring's  life, 
within  two  hours  after  he  had  signed  his  own  last  will  and 
testament.' ' 

"  What  a  strange  coincidence  !" 

"It  was  strange;  and  it  was  my  discovery  on  that  day 
which  formed  the  subject  of  my  thoughts  on  the  following 
night,  the  night  of  the  murder,  and  which  kept  me  pacing 
my  room  until  three  o'clock  in  the  morning." 

"  Did  Mr.  Mainwaring  know  of  your  discovery?" 

"No;  I  had  no  opportunity  to  see  him  that  evening 
until  too  late,  even  if  I  had  chosen  to  broach  the  subject 
to  him  at  that  time. ' ' 

' '  Might  he  not  have  discovered  in  some  way  that  you 
had  found  the  will?" 

"  I  think  not.     Why  do  you  inquire?" 

"  It  only  occurred  to  me  if  it  might  not  be  possible  that 
he  had  reason  to  think  his  secret  had  at  last  been  dis 
covered,  and,  rather  than  face  the  consequences,  com 
mitted  suicide ;  but  it  seems  improbable.  But  to  think 
that  you  are  the  son  of  the  one  whom  I  have  always 
considered  the  noblest  of  all  the  Mainwarings,  and  that 
you,  and  not  Hugh,  are  the  rightful  heir  to  the  old  Main- 
waring  estate  !  I  am  more  than  glad,  and  Hugh  will  be 
glad  also.  He  will  not  begrudge  you  one  shilling  or  have 

192 


MUTUAL   EXPLANATIONS 

one  unkind  thought  towards  you,  though  I  cannot  say  the 
same  for  his  father. ' ' 

"  Hugh  is  a  noble-hearted  fellow,"  said  Harold,  warmly. 
' '  He  has  promised  me  his  friendship,  and  I  believe  he 
will  stand  by  it." 

He  spoke  briefly  of  his  plans  ;  of  his  business  in  London 
for  a  few  days  ;  and,  when  the  will  should  have  been  pro 
bated  in  the  English  court,  of  his  return  to  America  to 
establish  his  claim  there. 

"Mr.  Mainwaring,"  said  Miss  Carleton,  after  a  pause, 
' '  I  am  inexpressibly  glad  to  learn  what  you  have  told  me, 
and  you  have  my  sincerest  wishes  for  your  immediate 
success.  I  appreciate,  more  than  I  can  tell,  your  confi 
dence  in  permitting  me  to  be  the  first  to  know  of  your 
good  fortune.  May  I  be  the  first  to  congratulate  you?" 

He  took  the  proffered  hand ;  but,  looking  into  the 
beautiful  eyes  sparkling  with  happiness,  his  own  face  grew 
serious,  as  he  replied, — 

' '  I  thank  you  for  your  congratulations  and  your  good 
wishes,  Miss  Carleton,  but  I  sometimes  question  whether 
my  discovery,  on  that  particular  day,  of  the  will — the  last 
link  in  the  chain  of  evidence  against  Hugh  Mainwaring — 
was  a  matter  for  congratulation." 

"  How  is  that?"  she  inquired,  quickly. 

' '  Do  you  not  see  that  when  all  these  facts  become  known, 
they  may  be  used  by  my  enemies  to  direct  suspicion  against 
me  as  the  possible  murderer  of  Hugh  Mainwaring  ?' ' 

"Who  would  think  of  such  a  thing?"  she  exclaimed, 
indignantly. 

"Ralph  Mainwaring  will,"  was  his  prompt  reply. 

"  He  might  try  to  incite  the  suspicions  of  others  against 
you,  but  he  would  know  in  his  own  heart  that  his  insinua 
tions  were  unfounded. ' ' 

"I  have  no  fear  of  him,"  said  Harold,  with  a  smile; 
13  193 


THAT    MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

"I  only  mentioned  it  to  show  that  I  do  not  anticipate 
upon  my  return  to  America  that  my  pathway  will  be  strewn 
with  roses." 

He  paused  a  moment,  then  added,  ' '  I  had  this  in  mind, 
Miss  Carleton,  when  I  asked  you  once  whether  your  con 
fidence  in  me  were  strong  enough  to  stand  a  heavy  strain, 
if  necessary." 

She  blushed  slightly  at  the  reminder,  and  a  look  of  quick 
comprehension  flashed  across  her  face,  as,  for  an  instant, 
she  dropped  her  eyes  before  his  earnest  gaze.  When  she 
again  looked  up  the  luminous  eyes  met  his  own  unwaver 
ingly,  as  she  replied,  in  firm,  low  tones,— 

' '  I  will  believe  in  you  and  trust  you  to  the  fullest  extent, 
whatever  happens. ' ' 

' '  I  thank  you  more  than  I  can  express, ' '  he  answered, 
gravely ;  ' '  for,  believe  me,  Miss  Carleton,  I  value  your 
confidence  and  friendship  far  above  any  and  every  other. ' ' 

"I  did  not  suppose  you  needed  any  assurance  of  my 
friendship  ;  though,  after  your  sudden  departure  from  Fair 
Oaks,  I  felt  somewhat  doubtful  whether  you  cared  for  it." 

He  did  not  reply  at  once,  and  when  he  did,  it  was 
evident  he  was  repressing  some  strong  emotion.  "I  feel 
that  there  is  an  explanation  due  you  for  my  manner  of 
leaving  Fair  Oaks.  I  am  aware  that  it  had  the  appearance 
of  rudeness,  but  I  can  only  say  that  it  was  from  necessity 
and  not  from  choice.  There  is  something  more  which  I 
hope  some  day  to  tell  you,  Miss  Carleton,  but,  until  I  can 
speak  as  I  wish  to  speak,  it  is  best  to  remain  silent ;  mean 
while,  I  will  trust  to  your  friendship  to  pardon  whatever  in 
my  conduct  may  seem  abrupt  or  inexplicable." 

The  conversation  was  terminated  at  this  point  by  the 
appearance  of  Lieutenant  Cohen,  whom  Harold  Mainwaring 
introduced  as  an  old  classmate,  and  presently  all  three 
adjourned  to  the  dining-saloon. 

194 


MUTUAL   EXPLANATIONS 

To  Harold  Mainwaring  and  Miss  Carleton  the  remainder 
of  the  voyage  passed  swiftly  and  pleasantly,  and  the  friend 
ship  begun  at  Fair  Oaks  deepened  with  each  succeeding 
day.  Though  no  word  of  love  passed  between  them,  and 
though  Miss  Carleton  sometimes  detected  on  the  part  of 
her  companion  a  studied  avoidance  of  personal  subjects, 
yet,  while  wondering  slightly  at  his  self-imposed  silence, 
she  often  read  in  his  dark  eyes  a  language  more  eloquent 
than  words,  and  was  content  to  wait. 

It  was  his  desire  that  the  other  members  of  her  party 
should  still  remain  in  ignorance  of  his  real  identity ;  and, 
as  the  greater  part  of  the  voyage  proved  somewhat  rough, 
he  had  little  difficulty  in  preserving  his  secret.  Mr.  Thorn 
ton  and  daughter  soon  made  their  appearance  and  greeted 
the  quondam  secretary  with  unaffected  cordiality,  but  Mr. 
Thornton  was  too  deeply  engrossed  in  renewing  acquaint 
ance  with  one  or  two  old  friends  to  pay  much  attention 
to  the  younger  man,  while  Edith  felt  in  duty  bound  to 
devote  herself  to  the  entertainment  of  Mrs.  Mainwaring 
and  Isabel,  a  task  which  Miss  Carleton  was  not  at  all  disposed 
to  share.  Not  until  the  last  few  hours  of  the  trip,  when 
fair  weather  had  become  an  established  fact  and  land  had 
been  sighted,  did  Mrs.  Mainwaring  and  her  daughter  appear 
on  deck,  and  in  the  general  excitement  Harold  Mainwaring 
escaped  their  observation. 

The  parting  between  himself  and  Miss  Carleton  was 
necessarily  brief.  She  gave  him  her  address,  saying, — 

"I  would  be  delighted  if  you  could  consider  yourself 
our  guest  while  in  London,  and  I  hope  at  least  that  I  may 
see  you  often  before  your  return." 

' '  I  thank  you,  Miss  Carleton, ' '  he  replied.  ' '  If  present 
circumstances  would  admit  of  it,  nothing  would  give  me 
greater  pleasure  than  to  accept  your  invitation,  but  under 
existing  conditions  it  is,  of  course,  impracticable.  I  can- 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

not  now  say  how  long  I  will  remain  in  London,  but  I  wish 
to  make  my  stay  as  brief  as  possible,  and  to  that  end  shall 
devote  almost  my  entire  time  to  business ;  but,"  he  added, 
with  a  peculiar  smile,  "  I  shall  not  repeat  the  offence 
committed  at  Fair  Oaks.  You  may  rest  assured  I  shall  not 
return  to  America  without  seeing  you,  and  I  hope  at  that 
time  to  be  able  to  speak  more  definitely  regarding  my 
future. ' ' 

There  was  that  in  his  eyes  as  he  spoke  that  suffused  the 
fair  English  face  with  lovely  color  and  caused  a  tender, 
wistful  smile  to  linger  about  the  sweet  mouth  long  after  he 
had  left  her  side. 

He  was  one  of  the  first  to  land,  and  Miss  Carleton, 
watching  from  the  deck,  saw,  almost  as  soon  as  he  had 
reached  the  pier,  a  fine-looking  gentleman  in  the  prime  of 
life  step  quickly  out  from  the  crowd,  and,  grasping  him 
cordially  by  the  hand,  enter  at  once  into  earnest  conversa 
tion.  Harold  Mainwaring  turned  towards  the  steamer  for 
a  parting  salute,  and,  as  both  gentlemen  raised  their  hats, 
she  recognized  in  the  new-comer,  Alfred  Barton,  the  junior 
member  of  the  firm  of  Barton  &  Barton.  She  watched 
them  until  they  disappeared  in  the  crowd,  then,  turning  to 
rejoin  her  companions,  she  noted,  standing  at  a  little  dis 
tance,  the  slender,  dark-eyed  individual  whom  she  had 
observed  on  previous  occasions,  also  watching  the  scene 
with  a  smile  of  quiet  satisfaction,  much  like  that  which 
Mr.  Merrick's  face  had  worn  at  the  beginning  of  the 
voyage. 


196 


CHAPTER    XVII 

LOVE    FINDS    A    WAY 

TJESS  than  three  weeks  later,  Harold  Mainwaring  entered 
Miss  Carleton's  private  drawing-room  in  Mr.  Thornton's 
London  home.  Soon  after  her  arrival  in  the  city  she  had 
received  from  him  a  brief  note  of  apology,  stating  that 
unexpected  business  of  the  greatest  importance  would  ren 
der  it  impossible  for  him  to  call  as  early  as  he  had  antici 
pated  ;  hence  this  was  their  first  meeting  since  the  leave- 
taking  on  board  the  "  Campania." 

As  Miss  Carleton  stepped  forward  with  cordial  smile  and 
hand  extended  to  welcome  her  visitor,  she  was  shocked  at 
the  change  in  his  appearance.  He  was  pale,  almost  hag 
gard,  and  deep  lines  about  the  mouth  and  eyes  told  of 
some  intense  mental  strain.  She  gave  a  low  cry  of  aston 
ishment,  for  it  seemed  as  though  years,  instead  of  only  a 
few  weeks,  had  intervened  since  she  had  seen  that  face. 

"Mr.  Mainwaring,  you  have  been  ill !"  she  exclaimed. 

' '  No,  Miss  Carleton, ' '  he  replied,  his  face  lighting  with 
a  rare  smile;  "I  have  been  perfectly  well,  but  loss  of 
sleep  and  constant  care  and  anxiety  have  told  rather 
severely  on  me.  Nothing  more  serious,  I  assure  you." 

"Anxiety!"  she  repeated,  at  the  same  time  motioning 
him  to  a  seat  by  her  side.  "  Surely  you  do  not  anticipate 
any  difficulty  in  establishing  your  claim  ?' ' 

"No  difficulty  so  far  as  its  validity  is  concerned.  My 
attorneys  assure  me  there  can  be  no  question  as  to  that 
with  such  irrefutable  proofs  in  my  possession,  but  some 
unlooked-for  complications  have  arisen,  and  we  have  had 

197 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

to  prepare  ourselves  to  meet  them.  But  I  did  not  call  to 
burden  you  with  my  perplexities,  Miss  Carleton.  Tell  me 
of  yourself.  I  trust  you  have  been  well  since  I  last  saw 
you. ' ' 

"Yes,  I  am  usually  well,"  said  Miss  Carleton,  who 
thought  she  detected  on  the  part  of  her  visitor  an  avoid 
ance  of  any  details  concerning  himself;  "but  I  have  been 
rather  bored  of  late."  Then,  in  answer  to  his  look  of 
inquiry,  she  continued,  "Of  course,  on  account  of  Hugh 
Mainwaring's  death,  we  have  been  living  very  quietly  since 
our  return,  but,  notwithstanding  that  fact,  society  has  been 
paying  due  homage  to  the  prospective  increase  of  fortune 
and  added  social  position  of  the  Mainwarings.  I  am  not 
particularly  fond  of  society  in  the  ordinary  sense  of  the 
word,  you  know,  and  I  have  found  it  exceedingly  tiresome. ' ' 

"From  reports,  I  should  judge  'society'  to  be  very  fond 
of  yourself, ' '  he  remarked,  with  a  smile. 

"  After  its  own  fashion,"  she  replied,  smiling  in  return  ; 
"but  it  becomes  very  monotonous.  It  is  the  same  old 
round,  you  know,  only  that  just  now  it  bows  a  little  lower 
than  formerly,  while  it  mingles  condolences  and  congratu 
lations  in  the  most  absurd  manner.  One  hears,  '  Such  a 
dreadful  affair  !  so  shocking,  don't  you  know!'  and  'Such 
delightful  fortune  !  I  quite  envy  you,  my  dear  ! '  all  in  the 
same  breath.  I  am  only  awaiting  what  society  will  say 
when  the  real  facts  become  known." 

Harold  Mainwaring  made  no  reply,  but  a  strange  pallor 
overspread  his  already  pale  face,  at  which  Miss  Carleton 
wondered. 

' '  I  have  thought  very  often  of  you  during  these  past 
weeks,"  she  continued,  "and  felt  quite  impatient  to  learn 
how  you  were  progressing,  and  your  note  was  so  brief,  you 
know.  It  left  so  much  unsaid.  I  fear  you  forget  how 
interested  I  am  in  all  that  concerns  yourself." 

198 


LOVE   FINDS  A  WAY 

"No,"  he  replied,  slowly,  "I  do  not  forget;  and  I 
appreciate  your  interest  in  me  even  though  I  may  not  seem 
to, — even  though  I  am  forced,  as  you  say,  to  leave  so  much 
unsaid  which  I  had  hoped  to  say. ' ' 

Something  in  his  manner,  more  than  in  what  he  said, 
thrilled  her  with  a  vague,  undefinable  sense  of  impending 
evil,  and,  during  the  slight  pause  which  followed,  she 
dreaded  his  next  words,  lest  they  should  in  some  way 
confirm  her  apprehensions.  He  said  nothing  further,  how 
ever,  and  when  she  spoke  it  was  with  an  assumed  lightness 
and  cheerfulness  which  she  was  far  from  feeling. 

' '  I  hoped  to  have  the  pleasure  of  meeting  you  often  ere 
this,  and  my  uncle  and  cousin  would  have  been  so  glad  to 
welcome  you  to  their  home  during  your  stay  in  London, 
but  they  have  just  gone  out  of  town  for  a  few  days." 

"Ordinarily,  Miss  Carleton,"  he  replied,  quietly,  "I 
should  be  pleased  to  meet  them,  but  on  the  present  occa 
sion,  as  I  sail  to-morrow,  I  naturally  care  to  see  no  one 
but  yourself." 

"To-morrow!"  she  exclaimed,  while  her  own  cheek 
suddenly  paled.  "  Do  you  return  so  soon?" 

"Yes,"  he  replied,  observing  her  emotion,  and  speaking 
rapidly  to  conceal  his  own  feelings;  "my  business  is  at 
last  completed.  I  have  been  detained  longer  than  I  ex 
pected,  and  I  found  the  situation  more  complex  than  I 
anticipated,  but  I  shall  return  well  equipped  for  the  battle." 

"And  you  will  win,  I  am  sure.  Tell  me  something 
regarding  your  plans,"  she  added,  with  a  wistful  smile  that 
touched  her  companion  far  more  than  he  cared  to  betray. 

' '  Mr.  Alfred  Barton  goes  with  me  to  America, ' '  he  said, 
speaking  cheerfully;  "and  we  have  already  cabled  in 
structions  to  Mr.  Sutherland,  my  New  York  attorney, 
regarding  the  initiatory  steps.  Mr.  Barton  and  myself 
will  be  accompanied  by  James  Wilson,  the  old  servant  who 

199 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

witnessed  the  execution  of  the  will," — Miss  Carleton's  eyes 
brightened, — "and  also  by  a  thoroughly  competent,  first- 
class  Scotland  Yard  officer." 

She  gave  a  low  exclamation.  "I  see  what  a  powerful 
witness  old  Wilson  will  make ;  but  the  detective,  what  will 
you  do  with  him  ?' ' 

"We  are  going  to  investigate  the  murder  of  Hugh 
Mainwaring,"  he  said,  calmly. 

"Why,  surely,   you  cannot  mean "  she   hesitated. 

"You  do  not  think  that  suspicion  will  be  directed  against 
any  of  the  guests  at  Fair  Oaks,  do  you  ?' ' 

' '  My  dear  Miss  Carleton,  I  cannot  say  at  present.  Per 
haps, "  he  added,  slowly,  looking  steadily  into  her  eyes, 
"perhaps,  when  all  is  over,  suspicion  will  be  directed 
against  myself  so  unmistakably  that  public  opinion  will 
pronounce  me  guilty. ' ' 

"I  cannot  believe  that,"  she  cried;  "and  even  were 
it  so, — should  the  whole  world  pronounce  you  guilty, — I 
would  still  believe  you  innocent ;  and  I  think, ' '  she  added, 
quickly,  "that  is  your  object  in  employing  a  detective  :  by 
finding  the  real  murderer,  you  will  establish  your  own 
entire  innocence." 

"May  God  grant  it!"  he  replied,  with  a  fervor  she 
could  not  understand.  "I  thank  you,  Miss  Carleton,  for 
your  kind  words ;  I  shall  never  forget  them  ;  and,  however 
the  battle  goes,  I  can  feel  there  is  one,  at  least,  whose 
friendship  and  confidence  are  mine,  can  I  not  ?' ' 

"Most  assuredly,  Mr.  Mainwaring.  But  why  do  you 
speak  as  though  there  were  a  possibility  of  defeat  or 
failure  ?  I  am  so  confident  that  you  will  win,  after  the 
story  of  your  life  that  you  have  given  me,  that  I  am  all 
impatience  to  learn  the  outcome  of  the  contest,  just  as 
having  read  one  chapter  in  some  thrilling  romance  I  am 
eager  for  the  next." 

200 


LOVE   FINDS  A  WAY 

He  smiled  at  her  comparison.  "Real  life,  as  well  as 
romance,  sometimes  contains  startling  surprises,  Miss  Carle- 
ton.  The  next  chapter  might  prove  less  pleasant." 

She  looked  keenly  into  his  face  for  a  moment,  and  her 
manner  became  as  serious  as  his  own. 

"There  must  be  something, "  she  said,  "of  which  you 
have  not  told  me  ;  if  so,  I  will  not  ask  your  confidence 
until  you  choose  to  bestow  it,  nor  do  I  trust  you,  person 
ally,  any  the  less.  It  only  seemed  to  me,  with  your  pros 
pects  of  success,  and  the  great  wealth  and  enviable  position 
so  soon  to  become  yours,  there  could  be  no  unpleasant 
anticipations  for  the  future." 

A  bitter  smile  crossed  his  face,  as  he  inquired  in  low, 
tense  tones,  "  Of  what  avail  are  wealth  and  position  to  one 
who  finds  an  insurmountable  barrier  placed  between  him 
self  and  all  that  he  holds  most  precious  on  earth  ?' ' 

"  I  fear  I  do  not  understand  you,"  she  replied.  "  I  can 
not  imagine  any  barriers  surrounding  you ;  and  did  they 
exist,  my  judgment  of  you  would  be  that  you  would  find 
some  way  to  surmount  or  destroy  them. ' ' 

' '  There  are  some  barriers,  some  fetters, ' '  he  said,  gently, 
"against  which  humanity,  even  at  its  best,  is  powerless." 

' '  Yes, ' '  she  answered,  a  touch  of  sadness  in  her  voice ; 
"and  there  are  sometimes  sorrows  and  troubles  in  which 
even  the  closest  and  warmest  friendship  is  powerless  to  aid 
or  comfort." 

"  Don't  allow  yourself  to  think  that  of  your  friendship 
for  me,"  he  said,  quickly.  "Assured  of  your  confidence 
and  sympathy,  I  shall  be  ten  times  stronger  to  face  what 
ever  the  future  may  bring.  If  I  succeed  in  what  I  am 
about  to  undertake,  I  shall  one  day  tell  you  all  that  your 
friendship  has  been  worth  to  me.  If  I  fail,  the  thought  that 
you  believe  in  me  and  trust  me,  while  it  will  not  be  all 
that  I  could  wish,  may  be  all  that  I  can  ask. ' ' 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

"And  if  you  should  fail,"  she  queried,  slowly,  "would 
you  give  me  no  opportunity  to  show  you,  and  others,  my 
confidence  in  you,  even  then  ?' ' 

"  My  dear  Miss  Carleton,"  he  replied,  in  tones  tremu 
lous  with  suppressed  feeling,  "much  as  I  appreciate  your 
kindness,  I  would  never,  now  or  at  any  future  time,  will 
ingly  mar  your  life  or  your  happiness  by  asking  you  to 
share  any  burden  which  might  be  laid  upon  me.  I  would 
at  least  leave  you  to  go  your  way  in  peace,  while  I  went 
mine." 

' '  And  I  ?' '  she  asked,  reproachfully.  ' '  Would  it  con 
tribute  to  my  happiness,  do  you  think,  to  remember  the 
sorrow  and  suffering  which  I  was  not  allowed  to  share?" 

"  Could  you  not  forget?" 

"Never!" 

The  young  man  sprang  to  his  feet  abruptly,  his  face 
working  with  emotion,  and  took  two  or  three  turns  about 
the  room.  At  last  he  paused,  directly  in  front  of  her,  and, 
folding  his  arms,  stood  looking  down  into  the  beautiful  eyes 
that  met  his  own  so  unflinchingly.  He  was  outwardly  calm, 
but  the  smouldering  fire  which  seemed  to  gleam  in  his  dark 
eyes  told  of  intense  mental  excitement. 

' '  Miss  Carleton, ' '  he  said,  slowly,  in  low  tones,  but  yet 
which  vibrated  through  her  whole  being,  "  you  are  almost 
cruel  in  your  kindness  ;  you  will  yet  make  a  coward  of  me  ! ' ' 

' '  I  have  no  fear  of  that, ' '  she  answered,  quietly. 

"Yes,  a  coward  !  Instead  of  remaining  silent  as  I  in 
tended,  and  keeping  my  trouble  within  my  own  breast,  you 
will  compel  me  in  self-defence  to  say  that  which  will  only 
give  you  pain  to  hear,  thereby  adding  to  my  own  suffering." 

"  Perhaps  you  misjudge,"  she  replied,  and  her  voice  had 
a  ring  of  pathos  in  it;  "any  word  of  explanation — no 
matter  what — would  be  less  hard  for  me  to  endure  than 
this  suspense. ' ' 

202 


LOVE   FINDS   A  WAY 

"  God  knows  I  would  make  full  explanation  if  I  could, 
but  I  cannot,  and  I  fear  there  is  nothing  I  can  say  that  will 
not  add  to  your  suspense.  Miss  Carleton,  you  must  need 
no  words  from  me  to  tell  you  that  I  love  you.  I  have 
loved  you  almost  from  the  first  day  of  our  meeting,  and 
whatever  life  may  have  in  store  for  me,  you,  and  you  alone, 
will  have  my  love.  But,  loving  you  as  I  do,  could  I  have 
looked  forward  to  the  present  time,  could  I  for  one  moment 
have  foreseen  what  was  awaiting  me,  believe  me,  you  should 
never  have  known  by  word  or  look,  or  any  other  sign,  of 
my  love." 

He  paused  a  moment,  then  continued.  "If  that  were 
all,  I  might  have  borne  it ;  I  could  have  locked  my  love 
forever  within  my  own  heart,  and  suffered  in  silence ;  but 
the  fact  that  you  have  given  me  some  reason  to  believe  that 
you  were  not  wholly  indifferent  to  me, — the  thought  that  I 
might  in  time  have  won  your  love, — makes  the  possibilities 
of  the  future  a  thousand  times  harder  to  bear.  It  is  harder 
to  forego  the  joys  of  Paradise  when  once  you  have  had  a 
glimpse  within  !  It  was  to  this  I  alluded  when  I  spoke 
of  the  insurmountable  barrier  placed  between  myself  and 
all  that  I  hold  holiest  and  best  on  earth  !" 

' '  But  I  do  not  understand  ! ' '  she  cried,  her  lovely  color 
deepening  and  her  eyes  glowing  with  a  new  light,  until 
Harold  Mainwaring  confessed  to  himself  that  never  had  he 
seen  her  so  beautiful.  "  What  barrier  could  ever  exist 
between  you  and  me  ?' ' 

For  an  instant  he  looked  at  her  in  silence,  an  agony  of 
love  and  longing  in  his  eyes ;  then  drawing  himself  up  to 
his  full  height,  he  said,  slowly, — 

' '  Not  until  I  can  stand  before  you  free  and  clear  from 
the  faintest  shadow  of  the  murder  of  Hugh  Mainwaring, 
will  I  ever  ask  for  that  most  precious  gift  of  your 
love  ! ' ' 

203 


THAT    MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

Her  face  blanched  at  the  mere  possibility  suggested  by 
his  words.  "But  you  are  innocent!"  she  cried  in  swift 
protest,  "and  you  could  prove  it,  even  were  suspicion 
directed  against  you  for  a  time. ' ' 

"Even  admitting  that  I  were,  the  taint  of  suspicion  is 
sometimes  as  lasting  as  the  stain  of  crime  itself. ' ' 

She  arose  and  stood  proudly  facing  him.  "  Do  you 
think  I  would  fear  suspicion  ?  To  hear  from  your  own  lips 
that  you  love  me  and  that  you  are  innocent  would  be 
enough  for  me  ;  I  would  defy  the  whole  world  ! ' ' 

He  did  not  at  once  reply,  and  when  he  spoke  it  was 
slowly  and  reluctantly,  as  though  each  word  were  wrung 
from  him  by  torture. 

' '  My  dear  Miss  Carleton,  even  to  you  I  cannot  say  that 
I  am  innocent." 

There  was  a  moment's  pause,  during  which  she  gazed  at 
him,  speechless  with  astonishment ;  a  moment  of  intense 
agony  to  Harold  Mainwaring,  as  he  watched  whether  her 
faith  in  him  would  waver.  But  she  gave  no  sign,  though 
she  scanned  his  face,  as  the  condemned  criminal  scans  the 
document  handed  him  as  the  fateful  day  approaches,  to 
ascertain  whether  it  contains  his  pardon  or  his  death 
sentence. 

"Understand  me,"  he  said  at  last,  gently,  unable  longer 
to  endure  the  terrible  silence,  "  I  do  not  admit  that  I  am 
in  any  way  guilty,  but  until  I  am  fully  acquitted  of  any 
share  in  or  knowledge  of  the  death  of  Hugh  Mainwaring, 
I  can  make  neither  denial  nor  admission,  one  way  or  the 
other. ' ' 

"  But  you  still  love  me?"  she  inquired,  calmly. 

"Miss  Carleton, — Winifred, — how  can  you  ask?  You 
are,  and  always  will  be  to  me,  the  one,  only  woman  upon 
earth." 

"  That  is  sufficient,"  she  answered,  with  a  strange,  bright 
204 


LOVE   FINDS   A  WAY 

smile ;  "  my  faith  in  you  is  perfect,  and  faith  and  love  can 
wait." 

"Wait,  my  love  !   until  when?"  he  cried. 

"If  needful,  until  Eternity's  sunlight  dispels  Earth's 
shadows  !  Eternity  holds  ample  compensation  for  all  of 
Earth's  waiting." 

"But,  my  darling,"  he  said,  half  protesting,  while  he 
folded  her  to  his  breast,  "  you  know  not  the  risk  you  may 
be  running ;  I  cannot  accept  the  sacrifice  that  may  be  in 
volved.  ' ' 

"My  decision  is  taken,  and  it  is  irrevocable,"  she  an 
swered,  with  an  arch  smile  ;  then  added,  ' '  There  can  be 
no  barriers  between  us,  Harold,  for  Love  will  find  a  way  !" 


20  "C 


CHAPTER    XVIII 

AN    UNFORESEEN    FOE 

THOUGH  nearly  six  weeks  had  elapsed  since  the  death  of 
the  master  of  Fair  Oaks,  and  as  yet  no  light  had  been 
shed  on  that  mysterious  event,  the  interest  of  the  public 
mind  in  the  affair  had  in  no  wise  abated  during  this  brief 
interim.  On  the  contrary,  its  curiosity  had  been  so  whetted 
by  the  partial  revelations  of  the  inquest,  that  it  had  eagerly 
followed  each  step  of  the  legal  proceedings  leading  towards 
the  inevitable  contest  over  the  property,  ready  to  hail  with 
delight  the  appearance  of  the  Mainwaring  skeleton  when 
it  should  step  forth  from  its  long  hiding  to  disclose  the 
secrets  of  the  past. 

As  early  as  possible,  a  petition,  setting  forth  the  terms 
and  conditions  of  the  last  will  and  testament  of  Hugh 
Mainwaring,  and  praying  for  letters  of  administration  in 
accordance  therewith  to  be  issued  to  William  H.  Whitney, 
the  executor  named  in  said  will,  had  been  filed  in  the  dis 
trict  court.  A  few  days  thereafter,  the  petition  of  Eleanor 
Houghton  Mainwaring,  for  letters  to  be  issued  to  Richard 
Hobson,  was  also  filed.  The  hearing  in  the  application 
for  letters  of  administration  occupied  several  days ;  very 
little  evidence  was  adduced,  however,  which  had  not 
already  been  given  at  the  inquest,  and  in  due  time  an  order 
was  issued  by  the  court,  appointing  Mr.  Whitney  adminis 
trator  of  the  estate,  with  instructions  that  the  same  be  ad 
justed  according  to  the  terms  of  the  lost  will.  From  this 
order,  Eleanor  Houghton  Mainwaring,  through  her  attor 
ney,  Hobson,  had  appealed,  and  the  contest  had  at  last 
begun. 

206 


AN   UNFORESEEN   FOE 

For  greater  convenience  during  the  legal  proceedings, 
Ralph  Mainwaring  had  closed  the  surburban  residence,  dis 
missing  what  servants  were  no  longer  needed,  though  still 
retaining  the  new  coachman,  and  had  removed  to  Hugh 
Mainwaring' s  city  residence,  where  he  and  his  son  made 
themselves  perfectly  at  home,  dining  with  Mr.  Whitney  at 
his  club.  Mrs.  LaGrange,  having  been  compelled  to  re 
sign  her  position  at  Fair  Oaks,  had  also  removed  to  the 
city  and  taken  apartments  in  a  convenient  hotel  until  the 
termination  of  her  suit. 

The  afternoon  of  the  second  day  since  the  opening  of 
the  case  was  drawing  to  a  close  ;  the  testimony  on  the  ap 
pellant's  side  had  been  taken,  and  it  was  expected  that  the 
respondent  would  be  heard  on  the  following  day,  when  an 
event  transpired  which  completely  overthrew  all  proceed 
ings  had  thus  far,  and  which  promised  the  waiting  public 
developments  as  startling  as  could  be  desired. 

This  event  was  none  other  than  the  filing  in  the  district 
court  of  a  document  purporting  to  be  the  last  will  and 
testament  of  the  father  of  the  deceased  Hugh  Mainwaring, 
by  the  terms  of  which  the  Mainwaring  estate,  as  it  then 
existed,  together  with  the  bulk  of  his  other  property,  passed 
to  Harold  Scott  Mainwaring,  an  elder  son  who  had  been 
previously  disinherited,  but  was  by  this  will  restored  to  his 
full  rights.  With  this  document,  worn  and  yellow  with 
age,  was  filed  a  petition,  setting  forth  the  claims  of  one 
Harold  Scott  Mainwaring,  the  lawful,  living,  and  only  son 
of  the  said  Harold  Scott  Mainwaring  named  in  the  will, 
but  since  deceased,  and  sole  heir  of  the  Mainwaring  estate, 
and  praying  for  letters  of  administration  to  be  issued  to 
George  D.  Sutherland,  attorney  for  the  said  lawful  heir. 

The  court  adjourned  amid  intense  excitement,  just  as 
the  newsboys  were  crying  the  headlines  of  the  evening 
papers, — 

207 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

"  A  New  Heir  to  the  Mainwaring  Property  !  Discovery 
of  Will  secreted  more  than  Twenty-five  Years  !  Millions 
wrongfully  withheld  from  the  Rightful  Owner  ! ' ' 

Strangely  enough,  the  two  most  interested  in  this  unex 
pected  turn  of  affairs  were  among  the  latest  to  learn  the 
surprising  news.  Ralph  Mainwaring,  having  felt  slightly 
indisposed,  and  knowing  that  his  side  would  not  come  up 
for  hearing  until  the  following  day,  had  made  himself  as 
comfortable  as  possible  in  the  elegant  apartments  which  he 
had  appropriated  to  his  own  use,  while  his  son  had  left  the 
court-room  at  an  early  hour  to  devote  the  remainder  of  the 
afternoon  to  letter-writing. 

The  latter  glanced  up  from  his  writing  and  nodded 
pleasantly,  as  Mr.  Whitney,  pale  with  excitement,  was 
ushered  by  the  butler  into  the  library. 

"Mr.  Mainwaring,  is  your  father  in?"  the  attorney  in 
quired,  hastily. 

' '  I  believe  so, ' '  replied  the  young  man,  smiling  broadly ; 
"  the  last  I  knew,  the  governor  was  luxuriating  in  his  rooms 
up-stairs;  I  think  you  will  find  him  there  now.  How's  the 
case  coming  on,  sir?"  he  added,  as  the  attorney  turned 
quickly  towards  the  hall.  "Anything  new  developed?" 

"Yes;  decidedly  new  !"  Mr.  Whitney  answered,  rather 
brusquely  ;  "you  had  better  join  us  up-stairs  !"  and  he  dis 
appeared. 

The  young  man's  face  grew  suddenly  serious,  and,  spring 
ing  from  his  chair,  he  swiftly  followed  the  retreating  figure 
of  the  attorney,  arriving  just  in  time  to  hear  the  latter  ex 
claim,  in  reply  to  some  question  from  his  father, — 

"  Well,  sir,  the  storm  has  burst !" 

Ralph  Mainwaring  was,  as  his  son  had  said,  "  luxuriating' ' 
in  a  superb  reclining  chair,  his  eyes  half  closed,  enjoying  a 
fine  Havana,  but  the  attorney's  words  seemed  to  produce 
the  effect  of  an  electric  shock. 

208 


AN   UNFORESEEN   FOE 

"The  deuce,  sir!  what  do  you  mean?"  he  demanded, 
instantly  assuming  an  upright  position. 

"  I  simply  mean  that  what  I  have  expected  and  dreaded 
all  along  has  at  last  come  to  pass. ' ' 

' '  Then,  since  it  was  not  unexpected,  it  is  to  be  presumed 
that  you  were  at  least  prepared  for  it !  That  shyster  and 
his  designing  client  must,  at  the  last  moment,  have  exerted 
their  inventive  faculties  to  a  remarkable  degree  !" 

"On  the  contrary,"  said  the  attorney,  quietly  ignoring 
the  other's  sarcasm,  and  handing  copies  of  the  evening 
papers  to  father  and  son,  "  I  am  satisfied  that  neither  Hob- 
son  nor  his  client  has  any  part  in  the  developments  of  this 
afternoon." 

A  brief  silence  followed,  during  which  the  attorney 
watched  the  two  men  before  him,  noting  the  strange  con 
trast  between  them,  never  until  that  moment  so  apparent. 
Young  Mainwaring's  boyish  face  grew  pale  as  he  read,  and 
he  occasionally  glanced  at  Mr.  Whitney,  as  though  seeking 
in  his  face  either  confirmation  or  contradiction  of  the  re 
port,  but  he  remained  calm  and  self-possessed,  preserving 
his  gentlemanly  bearing  to  the  close  of  the  interview. 
The  face  of  the  elder  man,  however,  rapidly  assumed  an 
almost  apoplectic  hue,  the  veins  standing  out  from  his 
temples  like  whip-cords,  and  when  he  spoke  his  voice  trem 
bled  with  rage.  He  was  the  first  to  break  the  silence,  as, 
with  an  oath,  he  flung  the  papers  upon  the  floor,  exclaim 
ing,— 

"  It  is  a  lie  from  beginning  to  end  !  The  most  prepos 
terous  fabrication  of  falsehood  that  could  be  devised  !  The 
'  will, '  as  it  is  called,  is  nothing  but  a  rank  forgery,  and  the 
man  who  dares  assert  any  claim  to  the  estate  is  a  damned 
impostor,  and  I'll  tell  him  so  to  his  face  !" 

' '  I  examined  the  document  very  carefully,  Mr.  Main- 
waring,  ' '  said  the  attorney,  ' '  and  I  shall  have  to  admit 
J4  209 


THAT    MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

that  it  certainly  had  every  appearance  of  genuineness ;  if 
it  is  a  forgery,  it  is  an  exceedingly  clever  one." 

"Do  you  mean  to  tell  me  that  you  believe,  for  one 
moment,  in  this  balderdash?"  demanded  Ralph  Main- 
waring,  at  the  same  time  rising  and  striding  about  the 
room  in  his  wrath.  "The  utter  absurdity  of  the  thing, 
that  such  a  will  ever  existed,  in  the  first  place,  and  then 
that  it  would  be  secreted  all  these  years  only  to  be  '  dis 
covered'  just  at  this  critical  moment !  It  is  the  most  trans 
parent  invention  I  ever  heard  of,  and  it  is  a  disgrace  to 
your  American  courts  that  the  thing  was  not  quashed  at 
once ! ' ' 

"That  could  not  very  well  be  done,"  said  Mr.  Whitney, 
with  a  quiet  smile ;  ' '  and  as  the  matter  now  stands,  the 
only  course  left  open  for  us  is  to  prepare  ourselves  for  a 
thorough  investigation  of  the  case. ' ' 

"Investigation  be  damned  !"  interrupted  the  other,  but, 
before  he  could  proceed  further,  he  was  in  turn  interrupted 
by  young  Mainwaring. 

"  I  say,  governor,  you'd  best  cool  down  a  bit  and  listen 
to  what  Mr.  Whitney  has  to  say ;  if  this  thing  is  a  forgery, 
we  surely  can  prove  it  so;  and  if  it  isn't,  why,  all  the 
bluster  in  the  world  won't  help  it,  you  know." 

His  father  faced  him  with  a  look  of  withering  contempt. 
"  '  If '  it  is  a  forgery  !  I  tell  you  there  are  no  '  ifs'  about 
it.  I  suppose,  though,  you  are  just  fool  enough  that,  if  any 
man  made  a  pretence  of  a  claim  to  the  estate,  you  would 
simply  hand  it  over  to  him,  and  thank  him  for  taking  it  off 
your  hands  !" 

"That's  just  where  you  are  wrong,  governor.  I  would 
fight  him,  fair  and  square,  and  he  would  have  to  prove  a 
better  claim  than  mine  before  he  could  win.  But  the  point 
is  this,  don't  you  know,  you  can  fight  better  with  your 
head  cool  and  your  plans  well  laid  beforehand." 

2IO 


AN   UNFORESEEN   FOE 

"The  young  man  is  right,"  said  Mr.  Whitney,  quickly; 
"  there  is  every  indication  that  our  opponent,  whoever  or 
whatever  he  may  be,  is  well  prepared  for  contesting  the 
case.  I  understand  he  has  plenty  of  evidence  on  his  side 
and  the  best  of  legal  counsel." 

"Evidence,  I  suppose,"  interposed  Ralph  Mainwaring, 
with  a  sneer,  ' '  in  support  of  a  document  that  never  existed, 
and  a  man  that  never  lived  on  the  face  of  the  earth  ;  for 
Harold  Mainwaring  never  had  a  living  son.  Have  you 
seen  this  remarkable  individual?" 

"  I  believe  no  one  in  this  country  has  seen  him  as  yet, 
sir.  He  is  expected  to  arrive  on  the  'Umbria,'  which  I 
understand  is  due  the  early  part  of  next  week. ' ' 

The  face  of  the  other  showed  slight  surprise  at  this  state 
ment,  but,  before  he  could  speak,  the  young  man  in 
quired, — 

' '  I  say,  Mr.  Whitney,  what  sort  of  a  man  is  this  attor 
ney,  Sutherland  ?  Is  he  another  Hobson  ?' ' 

Mr.  Whitney  shook  his  head  significantly.  "  Mr.  Suther 
land  is  one  of  the  ablest  men  in  his  profession.  I  consider 
him  a  fine  jurist,  an  eloquent  pleader,  and  a  perfect  gentle 
man.  I  had  some  conversation  with  him  after  court  ad 
journed,  and  while  he,  of  course,  stated  no  details,  he 
gave  me  to  understand  that  his  client  had  a  strong  case. 
He  also  informed  me  that  Barton  &  Barton,  of  London, 
had  been  retained  in  the  case,  and  that  his  client  would  be 
accompanied  to  this  country  by  the  junior  member  of  the 
firm,  Alfred  Barton. ' ' 

"By  Jove,  that  looks  bad  for  us!"  ejaculated  young 
Mainwaring,  while  his  father  exclaimed,  impatiently, — 

' '  Barton  &  Barton  ?  Impossible  !  that  is  mere  bombast ! 
Why,  man,  the  Bartons,  father  and  sons,  have  been  the 
family  solicitors  of  the  Mainwarings  for  the  past  fifty  years. 
The  old  firm  of  Barton  &  Sons  had  charge  of  the  settle- 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

ment  of  the  estate  when  it  passed  into  Hugh  Mainwaring's 
possession  at  the  death  of  his  father. ' ' 

"  So  I  had  understood,"  said  the  attorney;  "I  have 
heard  Mr.  Mainwaring  himself  speak  of  them." 

' '  And, ' '  continued  the  other,  ' '  only  a  few  days  before 
sailing  for  America,  I  called  at  their  chambers  in  London 
and  told  them  of  Hugh's  intentions  regarding  my  son  and 
received  their  congratulations.  Now,  sir,  do  you  mean  to 
tell  me,  in  the  face  of  all  this,  that  Barton  &  Barton  are 
retained  by  this  mushroom  claimant,  whoever  he  is  ?  Pooh  i 
preposterous ! ' ' 

Mr.  Whitney  shook  his  head  slowly.  "  Mr.  Sutherland 
is  not  the  man  to  make  any  misstatements  or  allow  himself 
to  be  misinformed.  All  I  have  to  say  is,  if  those  attorneys 
are  retained  in  the  case,  it  certainly  looks  as  though  our 
opponent  must  have  some  tenable  ground  in  support  of  his 
claim.  I  am  inclined  to  think  they  will  make  us  a  hard 
fight,  but  I  am  confident  that  we  will  win  in  the  end. 
The  main  point  is  this :  we  must  be  prepared  to  meet  them 
on  whatever  ground  they  may  take,  and,  after  hearing  their 
side  and  the  proof  they  set  up,  we  can  easily  determine 
our  line  of  defence." 

' '  To  the  deuce  with  your  line  of  defence  !  I  tell  you, 
Whitney,  there  is  just  one  point  to  be  maintained,  and,  by 
my  soul,  it  shall  be  maintained  at  any  cost!"  and  the 
speaker  emphasized  his  words  by  bringing  his  clinched 
hand  down  upon  a  table  beside  him  with  terrific  force ; 
"  that  point  is  this  :  Harold  Scott  Mainwaring  never  had  a 
living,  lawful  son  ;  no  such  person  exists,  or  ever  has  ex 
isted  on  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  I  can  prove  what  I  say. ' ' 

"Have  you  absolute  proof  of  that?"  Mr.  Whitney  in 
quired,  quickly. 

"I  have,"  replied  Ralph  Mainwaring,  triumphantly, 
while  his  cold,  calculating  gray  eyes  glittered  like  burnished 

212 


AN   UNFORESEEN   FOE 

steel.  "  If  any  man  thinks  I  have  been  asleep  for  the  past 
twenty-one  years,  he  is  deucedly  mistaken.  Mr.  Whitney, 
since  the  day  of  that  boy's  birth,"  pointing  to  his  son,  "  I 
have  had  but  one  fixed  resolve,  which  has  been  paramount 
to  everything  else,  to  which  everything  else  has  had  to  sub 
serve, — the  Mainwaring  estate  with  its  millions  should  one 
day  be  his.  Not  a  day  has  passed  in  which  this  was  not 
uppermost  in  my  mind ;  not  a  day  in  which  I  have  not 
scanned  the  horizon  in  every  direction  to  detect  the  least 
shadow  likely  to  intervene  between  me  and  the  attainment 
of  the  dearest  object  of  my  life.  When  the  news  of  Harold 
Mainwaring's  death  reached  England,  in  order  to  guard 
against  the  possibility  of  a  claim  ever  being  asserted  in  that 
direction,  I  set  myself  at  once  to  the  task  of  rinding  for  a 
certainty  whether  or  not  he  had  left  any  issue.  I  never 
rested  day  or  night  until,  after  infinite  labor  and  pains, 
I  had  secured  the  certificate  of  the  attendant  physician  to 
the  effect  that  the  only  child  of  Harold  Mainwaring  died 
within  an  hour  from  its  birth." 

"  Have  you  that  certificate  now?"  inquired  the  attorney. 

"  Not  here  ;  it  is  among  my  private  papers  at  home. ' ' 

"  Cable  for  it  at  once  ;  with  the  death  of  Harold  Main 
waring's  child  fully  established,  the  will  would  cut  no  figure, 
one  way  or  another. ' ' 

"That  will,"  said  Ralph  Mainwaring,  fiercely,  turning 
upon  Mr.  Whitney  with  an  expression  which  the  latter  had 
never  seen,  ' '  let  me  tell  you,  will  cut  no  figure  one  way  or 
another  in  any  event.  That  will,  remember,  is  a  forgery  ; 
and,  if  necessary,  I  will  prove  it  so,  if  it  takes  my  last  shil 
ling  and  the  last  drop  of  my  heart's  blood  to  do  it ;  do 
you  understand  ?' ' 

The  attorney  understood,  and  was  more  than  ever  con 
vinced  in  his  own  mind  that  the  old  will  filed  that  day  was 
genuine. 

213 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

Meanwhile,  in  another  part  of  the  city,  Mrs.  LaGrange 
sat  alone  in  her  apartments,  awaiting  the  coming  of  Richard 
Hobson.  It  was  considerably  past  the  hour  which  he  had 
set  and  daylight  was  slowly  merging  into  dusk,  yet  enough 
light  still  remained  to  show  the  changes  which  the  last  few 
weeks  had  wrought  in  her  face.  Her  features  looked 
pinched  and  drawn,  and  a  strange  pallor  had  replaced  the 
rich  coloring  of  the  olive  skin,  while  her  dark  eyes,  cold 
and  brilliant  as  ever,  had  the  look  of  some  wild  creature 
suddenly  brought  to  bay.  She  shuddered  now,  as,  from 
her  window,  she  saw  the  cringing  form  of  Hobson  ap 
proaching  the  building. 

"To  think,"  she  exclaimed  to  herself,  passionately, 
"  that  that  creature  is  the  only  one  to  whom  I  can  go  for 
counsel  or  advice  !  I  loathe  the  very  sight  of  him ;  fool 
that  I  was  ever  to  place  myself  within  his  power !  I 
thought  I  could  use  him  as  a  tool  like  the  rest ;  but  it  is  like 
playing  with  edged  tools ;  yet  I  dare  not  let  him  go. ' ' 

A  moment  later,  she  heard  a  stealthy,  cat-like  tread  in 
the  corridor  outside,  followed  by  a  low,  peculiar  tap  at  the 
door,  and  Hobson  entered. 

She  crossed  the  room  slowly,  keeping  her  face  in  the 
shadow,  and,  motioning  him  to  a  chair,  seated  herself  op 
posite,  watching  him  narrowly. 

"You  are  late,"  she  said,  coldly,  in  response  to  his 
greeting. 

"  Admitted,  my  lady,"  he  replied,  in  his  usual  unctuous 
tones,  "but  I  naturally  wished  to  ascertain  all  the  facts 
possible  regarding  this  new  deal,  and,  seeing  Whitney 
nosing  about  on  the  trail,  I  decided  to  remain  within 
ear-shot  and  pick  up  what  information  I  could  second 
hand.  ' ' 

"  What  did  you  learn  ?' ' 

"Nothing  very  definite,  and  yet  enough,  perhaps,  to 
214 


AN   UNFORESEEN   FOE 

give  us  our  cue  until  further  developments.  My  dear  lady, 
what  do  you  think  of  this  new  turn  of  affairs  ?' ' 

"The  whole  thing  is  simply  preposterous;  a  piece  of 
the  most  consummate  audacity  I  ever  dreamed  of ! " 

"Ha!  I  thought  it  would  strike  you  as  particularly 
nervy.  It  is  the  most  daring  bit  of  invention  I  have  seen 
for  some  time  ;  and  it  must  be  a  pretty  cleverly  concocted 
scheme  and  pretty  well  backed  with  the  ducats  also,  for  I 
learned  to-night  that  the  '  heir, '  ' '  laying  special  emphasis 
on  the  word,  ' '  has  secured  the  services  of  Barton  &  Barton, 
and  those  birds  are  too  old  to  be  caught  with  chaff;  besides, 
you  know  as  well  as  I  the  part  that  firm  has  taken  in  the 
Maimvaring  affairs. ' ' 

' '  Barton  &  Barton  ?  Incredible  !  The  case  is  hopeless 
then  for  Ralph  Mainwaring  :  he  is  a  fool  if  he  expects  to 
win. ' ' 

"Just  what  I  was  leading  up  to.  Whitney  is  no  match 
even  for  this  man,  Sutherland,  and  he  will  be  a  mere  child 
in  the  hands  of  the  Bartons.  Now,  the  question  is,  where 
do  we  come  in?  As  you  say,  Ralph  Mainwaring's  case  is 

hopeless,  unless "  and  he  looked  significantly  at  his 

client. 

"I  do  not  think  I  quite  catch  the  drift  of  your  mean 
ing,"  she  answered,  slowly. 

"  Has  it  not  occurred  to  you  that  there  are  not  two  peo 
ple  in  existence  who  can  so  quickly  tear  to  shreds  the  scheme 
of  this  impostor  as  you  and  I?  There  is  not  a  human 
being  living  outside  of  myself  who  knows  the  real  facts 
concerning  that  will ;  and  who  could  give  such  effective 
and  convincing  testimony  regarding  Harold  Mainwaring's 
son  as  yourself?' ' 

' '  Admitting  all  this,  what  do  you  propose  ?' ' 

"When  Ralph  Mainwaring  has  staked  his  highest  card 
and  finds  that  the  game  is  irrevocably  lost,  what  will  he 

215 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

not  give  at  the  last  critical  moment  for  assistance  such  as 
we  can  then  furnish  him  ?' ' 

"  And  which  course  would  you  pursue  in  that  event?" 
she  asked,  a  tinge  of  irony  in  her  tone.  "Would  you 
deny  that  such  a  will  ever  existed  in  face  of  whatever 
evidence  may  be  brought  forward  in  its  support  ?  or  would 
you  admit  being  a  party  to  the  destruction  of  the  will  ?' ' 

"  My  dear  madam,  I  am  perfectly  capable  of  conducting 
this  affair  to  our  mutual  satisfaction  and  without  running 
my  head  into  any  trap,  as  you  so  pleasantly  suggest.  And 
right  here  allow  me  to  say  that  it  would  be  just  as  well  for 
you  not  to  make  those  insinuations  which  you  are  so  fond 
of  throwing  out  at  random.  As  I  said  before,  no  living 
person  outside  of  myself,  including  even  yourself,  knows 
the  facts  regarding  that  will.  You  have  your  own  surmises, 
but  they  are  only  surmises,  and  you  had  best  keep  them  to 
yourself,  as  you  know  enough  of  me  by  this  time  to  know 
it  will  be  to  your  interest  to  accept  my  suggestions  and  fall 
in  line  with  my  plans. ' ' 

Her  face  was  in  the  shadow,  and  he  did  not  see  the 
scornful  curl  of  her  lip  or  her  peculiar  expression,  as  she 
remarked  coldly, — 

"You  are  only  wasting  words  and  time  in  your  efforts  to 
intimidate  me.  You  have  not  yet  made  any  suggestions 
or  outlined  any  plans.  I  have  asked  you  what  you  propose 
to  do. ' ' 

"I  have  not  time  to  go  into  details,  but,  briefly  stated, 
I  propose,  when  the  right  opportunity  presents  itself,  to 
prove,  first,  that  this  document  filed  to-day  is  a  forgery. 
If  I  can  show  conclusively  that  the  original  will  was  acci 
dentally  lost,  or  intentionally  destroyed,  or  if  I  happen  to 
have  the  original  in  my  possession, — under  any  of  these 
conditions  I  gain  my  first  point.  Then,  through  your 
testimony,  I  shall  demonstrate  unequivocally  a  still  more 

216 


AN  UNFORESEEN   FOE 

important  point,  that  this  so-called  heir  is  a  gross  im 
postor,  that  no  such  individual  exists. ' ' 

' '  And  for  this,  you  expect — what  ?' ' 

"For  this  I  shall  demand  a  handsome  remuneration,  to 
be  divided,  of  course,  between  yourself  and  myself,  and 
Ralph  Mainwaring  will  only  too  gladly  give  the  half  of  his 
kingdom  for  such  services. ' ' 

' '  And  your  testimony  would  have  so  much  weight  with 
Ralph  Mainwaring  and  the  Bartons,  and  with  every  one 
else  who  has  any  knowledge  of  your  London  history ! ' ' 

Hobson  winced  visibly,  but  before  he  could  reply  she 
continued : 

' '  You  are  talking  the  most  arrant  foolishness.  You 
know  that  those  men  would  not  allow  your  testimony  in 
court ;  they  would  very  quickly  procure  evidence  to  show 
that  your  word,  even  under  oath,  is  worthless  ;  that  you  are 
a  liar,  a  perjurer  and  a " 

' '  Not  so  fast,  not  so  fast,  my  lady.  If  past  histories  are 
to  be  raked  up,  I  know  of  one  which  embraces  a  much 
wider  area  than  London  alone ;  Melbourne,  for  instance, 
and  Paris  and  Vienna,  to  say  nothing  of  more  recent 
events  ! ' ' 

"  Do  your  worst,  and  I  will  do  mine  !"  she  replied,  de 
fiantly.  '  <  That  is  nothing  to  the  point,  however.  What  I 
have  to  say  is  this :  You  are  a  fool  if  you  think  that  you  or 
I  can  ever  extort  money  from  Ralph  Mainwaring.  He 
would  give  no  credence  whatever  to  anything  that  you 
might  say,' and  if  once  my  identity  were  revealed  to  him, 
he  would  go  through  fire  and  blood  rather  than  that  one 
shilling  of  his  should  ever  become  mine." 

"And  what  do  you  propose  to  do?"  he  asked,  sullenly. 
' '  Do  you  intend  to  give  up  the  game  ?' ' 

"Give  up?  Never!  I  would  give  my  life  first!  I 
will  yet  have  my  revenge  on  the  Mainwarings,  one  and  all ; 

217 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

and  I  will  repay  them  double  for  all  the  insult  and  ignominy 
they  have  heaped  upon  me." 

' '  That  is  to  the  point ;  but  how  will  you  accomplish  it  ?' ' 
said  Hobson,  in  a  more  conciliatory  tone,  for  each  feared 
the  other,  and  he  thoroughly  understood  the  spirit  of  his 
client.  "  Let  us  be  reasonable  about  this ;  you  and  I  have 
too  much  at  stake  and  too  many  interests  in  common  for 
us  to  quarrel  like  children." 

"If  I  were  differently  situated,  I  can  assure  you  we 
would  then  have  very  few  interests  in  common,"  she  re 
plied,  bitterly. 

"Well,  supposing  you  were,  what  would  you  do  in  this 
case?"  he  inquired,  softly,  apparently  taking  no  notice  of 
her  remark,  but  in  reality  making  a  mental  note  of  it  for 
future  reckoning. 

"  Defeat  Ralph  Mainwaring,  by  all  means  ;  if  necessary, 
produce  testimony  to  show  that  this  will  is  genuine.  If  he 
spends  his  last  shilling  to  fight  the  case,  so  much  the  better. 
Then,  when  the  case  is  settled  and  this  so-called  heir  is 
master  of  the  situation,  or  supposes  himself  so,  bring  suit 
to  show  that  he  is  an  impostor,  and  assert  my  own  claim 
as  the  nearest  living  heir." 

Hobson  whistled  softly.  "  A  plan  worthy  of  your  am 
bition,  my  lady,  but  hardly  feasible.  It  is  one  thing  to 
assert  a  claim,  and  another  to  be  able  to  establish  it. 
Through  your  over -ambition  you  would  lose  in  the  end, 
for,  should  you  succeed  in  dispossessing  this  stranger, 
Ralph  Mainwaring  would  surely  come  forward  with  his 
claim,  and  you  would  be  beaten." 

"When  I  lay  down  arms  to  a  Mainwaring,  I  will  lay 
down  my  life  also, ' '  she  answered,  proudly. 

"You  think  so,  perhaps;  but  let  me  tell  you  the  best 
course  for  you  to  pursue  is  to  make  terms,  either  with  Ralph 
Mainwaring,  as  I  first  suggested,  or  else  with  this  new-comer 

218 


AN   UNFORESEEN   FOE 

— should  he  prove  victorious — by  threatening  to  expose  his 
whole  scheme." 

Mrs.  LaGrange  made  no  reply,  and  Hobson,  rising  to 
take  leave,  saw  her  face  for  the  first  time  and  paused,  sur 
prised  at  its  strange  expression. 

"Well?"  he  said,  with  a  look  of  inquiry. 

"  My  thoughts  were  wandering  just  then,"  she  said,  with 
a  faint  smile,  and  her  tone  was  so  changed  the  voice 
scarcely  seemed  her  own.  "I  was  wishing,  just  for  the 
moment,  that  this  stranger,  whoever  he  may  be,  was  in 
reality  the  one  he  claims  to  be.  I  would  need  no  attorney 
to  make  terms  with  him  then  ! ' ' 

"  You  forget ;  he  would  be  a  Mainwaring  !" 

"Yes;  but  he  would  be  the  only  Mainwaring  and  the 
only  human  being  I  could  ever  have  loved,  and  I  would 
have  loved  him  better  than  my  own  life. ' ' 

"Love!"  repeated  Hobson,  with  a  sneer.  "Who 
would  ever  have  thought  to  hear  that  word  from  your  lips  ! 
But  how  about  your  son,  Walter ;  do  you  not  love  him  ?' ' 

"  Him  !"  she  exclaimed,  passionately  ;  "  the  price  I  paid 
hoping  to  win  Hugh  Mainwaring  !  I  am  proud  of  him  as 
my  own  flesh  and  blood,  but  love  him  ?  Never  ! ' ' 

"But  you  have  not  yet  told  me  what  you  think  of  my 
last  suggestion,"  he  said,  tentatively,  watching  her  closely. 

Her  manner  changed  instantly ;  rising  with  all  her  ac 
customed  hauteur  and  turning  from  him  with  a  gesture  of 
dismissal,  she  replied, — 

' '  Come  to  me  later,  when  I  shall  have  measured  lances 
with  our  new  opponent,  and  you  shall  have  your  answer. ' ' 

He  would  have  spoken,  but  her  dismissal  was  final,  and 
with  darkening  face  he  left  the  room. 


219 


CHAPTER    XIX 

MUTUAL    RECOGNITIONS 

THE  sudden  turn  of  affairs  in  the  Mainwaring  case  ex 
cited  no  small  amount  of  comment,  and  for  the  next  ensuing 
days  speculation  was  rife  concerning  the  recently  discovered 
will,  but  more  particularly  regarding  the  new  and  unknown 
claimant.  At  the  clubs  and  elsewhere  it  formed  the  prin 
cipal  topic  of  conversation,  and  Ralph  Mainwaring  was 
loud  in  his  denunciations  of  the  one  as  a  forgery,  and  of 
the  other  as  an  impostor.  To  all  such  remarks,  however, 
as  well  as  to  the  questions  of  the  curious,  Mr.  Sutherland 
had  but  one  reply,  accompanied  by  a  slow,  quiet  smile ; 
that  on  the  day  set  for  the  hearing,  he  would  not  only  prove 
the  validity  of  the  will,  but  would  also  establish,  beyond 
all  doubt  or  question,  the  identity  of  the  claimant. 

As  a  result,  public  curiosity  was  so  thoroughly  aroused, 
that  upon  the  arrival  of  the  "Umbria, ' '  an  unusual  crowd  of 
reporters  was  assembled  at  the  pier,  notwithstanding  a  pour 
ing  rain,  and  the  gang-plank  had  no  sooner  been  thrown 
down  than  a  number  of  the  more  ambitious  rushed  on 
board,  eager  to  be  the  first  in  gaining  some  bit  of  informa 
tion  or  personal  description.  Their  efforts,  however,  were 
unsuccessful,  as  the  individuals  whom  they  most  desired  to 
meet  remained  in  their  state-rooms  and  declined  to  be 
interviewed.  Not  until  the  crowd  had  about  dispersed  and 
the  patience  of  a  few  of  the  more  persistent  was  nearly  ex 
hausted,  was  their  zeal  rewarded  by  the  sight  of  a  party  of 
four  Englishmen,  who  hastily  left  the  boat,  completely  en 
veloped  in  heavy  mackintoshes,  and,  taking  a  closed  car- 


MUTUAL   RECOGNITIONS 

riage  which  was  awaiting  them,  were  driven  rapidly  to  the 
Waldorf  Hotel. 

At  the  hotel  the  party  still  remained  inaccessible  to  all 
visitors,  with  the  exception  of  Mr.  Sutherland,  who  spent 
much  of  his  time  in  their  apartments.  It  was  ascertained 
that  the  party  consisted  of  two  gentlemen,  one  of  whom 
was  accompanied  by  a  valet,  the  other — presumably  the 
attorney — by  a  clerk,  but  all  efforts  towards  gaining  any 
more  definite  information  prove  absolutely  futile.  The 
arrival  by  the  next  steamer  of  another  stranger,  an  elderly 
gentleman,  who  immediately  joined  the  party  at  the  Wal 
dorf,  after  having  registered  under  an  evident  alias,  only 
served  to  deepen  the  mystery. 

Upon  the  arrival  of  the  day  set  for  the  hearing  of  the 
proof  in  support  of  the  ancient  will,  the  court-room  was, 
at  an  early  hour,  packed  to  its  utmost  capacity.  Occupying 
a  prominent  place  were  Ralph  Mainwaring  and  his  son, 
accompanied  by  Mr.  Whitney,  the  sensitive  face  of  the 
attorney  more  eager  and  alert  than  ever.  At  some  distance 
from  them,  but  seated  rather  conspicuously  where  she  could 
command  a  good  view  of  all  that  occurred,  was  Mrs.  La- 
Grange,  while  in  a  remote  corner  of  the  court-room,  par 
tially  concealed  by  the  crowd,  was  Richard  Hobson. 

\Vithin  a  few  moments  preceding  the  appointed  hour, 
Mr.  Sutherland  appeared.  His  entrance  caused  a  sudden 
hush  of  expectation  throughout  the  crowd  and  all  eyes  were 
immediately  turned  in  his  direction.  Accompanying  him 
was  a  gentleman  whose  bearing  commanded  universal  ad 
miration,  and  whom  the  Mainwarings  instantly  recognized 
as  the  English  barrister  whose  connection  with  the  case 
they  had  deemed  so  incredible.  But  a  still  deeper  surprise 
awaited  them.  Immediately  following  the  attorneys  was  a 
young  man  whose  features  and  carriage  were  familiar,  not 
only  to  the  Mainwarings,  but  to  scores  of  spectators  as  well, 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

as  those  of  the  private  secretary  of  the  deceased  Hugh 
Mainwaring,  whose  testimony  at  the  inquest  had  created  so 
much  of  a  sensation,  and  whose  sudden  disappearance 
thereafter  had  caused  considerable  comment.  There  was 
a  ripple  of  excitement  through  the  court-room,  and  the 
Mainwarings,  father  and  son,  watched  the  young  man  with 
strangely  varying  emotions,  neither  as  yet  fully  compre 
hending  the  real  significance  of  his  presence  there. 

"The  secretary!"  exclaimed  Mr.  Whitney,  in  a  low 
tone.  "  Can  it  be  possible  that  he  is  concerned  in  this?" 

"  He  is  probably  the  hired  tool  by  means  of  which  this 
has  been  brought  about.  I  might  have  known  as  much  !" 
replied  the  elder  man,  his  old  hatred  and  wrath  reviving 
with  greater  intensity  than  ever,  but  before  he  could  pro 
ceed  further  his  glance  fell  on  the  secretary's  companion. 

He  was  a  tall,  elderly  gentleman,  with  snow-white  hair 
and  beard,  but  with  form  erect  and  vigorous,  and  with 
piercing  eyes  which  met  those  of  Ralph  Mainwaring  with 
a  flash,  not  of  recognition  alone,  but  of  disdain  and  de 
fiance  that  seemed  to  challenge  him  to  do  his  utmost. 

With  a  muttered  oath,  the  latter  half  rose  from  his  chair, 
but  at  that  instant  his  attention  was  arrested  by  the  two 
men  bringing  up  the  rear;  one,  small  and  of  uncertain 
age,  the  other,  older  even  than  he  appeared,  and  bearing 
the  unmistakable  air  of  an  English  servant.  As  Ralph 
Mainwaring  recognized  James  Wilson,  the  last  relic  of  the 
old  Mainwaring  household,  he  suddenly  grew  pale  and  sank 
back  into  his  chair,  silent,  watchful,  and  determined  ;  while 
his  son  and  the  attorney,  quick  to  note  the  change  in  his 
appearance,  made  neither  inquiries  nor  comments,  but  each 
drew  his  own  conclusion. 

There  was  one  other  to  whom  the  white-haired  gentle 
man  did  not  seem  an  utter  stranger.  Mrs.  LaGrange  from 
her  post  of  observation  had  watched  the  entering  party 


MUTUAL   RECOGNITIONS 

with  visible  signs  of  excitement.  Her  lips  curled  in  a 
mocking  smile  as  she  caught  sight  of  the  secretary,  but 
glancing  from  him  to  his  companion,  she  involuntarily  re 
coiled  in  terror,  yet  gazed  like  one  fascinated,  unable  to 
remove  her  eyes  from  his  face.  Suddenly  the  piercing  eyes 
met  her  own,  their  look  of  astonishment  quickly  changing 
to  scorn.  She  flushed,  then  paled,  but  her  eyes  never 
faltered,  flashing  back  mocking  defiance  to  his  anger  and 
scorn  for  scorn. 

Meanwhile,  the  quondam  secretary,  seated  between  the 
attorneys  on  the  one  hand  and  his  elderly  companion  on 
the  other,  seemed  alike  unconscious  of  the  many  curious 
glances  cast  in  his  direction  and  of  the  dark  looks  of  Ralph 
Mainwaring  now  fastened  on  him.  At  a  little  distance  was 
the  old  servant,  his  immovable  features  expressing  the  ut 
most  indifference  to  his  surroundings,  looking  neither  to 
the  right  hand  nor  to  the  left. 

Not  so  with  the  remaining  member  of  the  party,  the  so- 
called  ' '  clerk  ! ' '  Seated  beside  the  English  barrister,  his 
eye  seemed  to  sweep  the  entire  court-room  with  a  glance 
that  omitted  no  details,  not  even  the  cringing  form  of 
Hobson,  who  quailed  and  seemed  to  be  trying  to  shrink 
still  further  into  concealment  as  he  felt  himself  included  in 
the  search-light  of  that  gaze.  But  no  one  saw  the  slip  of 
paper  which,  a  moment  later,  was  handed  to  Alfred  Barton, 
and  by  him  passed  to  Mr.  Sutherland.  There  was  a  hur 
ried  filling  out  of  blanks  lying  among  the  papers  on  the 
table,  a  messenger  was  despatched,  two  or  three  men  edged 
themselves  into  the  crowd  in  Hobson's  vicinity, — and  that 
was  all ! 

Promptly  at  the  time  appointed  the  case  was  called. 
There  was  perfect  silence  throughout  the  court-room  as  Mr. 
Sutherland  arose,  holding  in  one  hand  the  ancient  will,  and 
with  breathless  attention  the  crowd  listened  for  the  opening 

223 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

words  of  what  was  to  prove  one  of  the  fiercest  and  most 
bitter  contests  on  record,  and  of  whose  final  termination 
even  the  participants  themselves  little  dreamed. 

After  a  few  preliminaries,  Mr.  Sutherland  said,  address 
ing  the  court, — 

"Before  proceeding  farther,  your  honor,  I  will  give 
orders  for  the  subpoena,  as  a  witness  in  this  case,  of  one 
Richard  Hobson,  alias  Dick  Carroll." 

Then  turning  towards  the  crowd  in  the  rear  of  the  court 
room,  he  added,  ' '  Let  the  papers  be  served  at  once  ! ' ' 

There  was  a  stir  of  excitement  and  a  sudden  craning  of 
necks  in  the  direction  indicated  by  the  attorney's  glance, 
where  three  men  had  sprung  forward  in  obedience  to  his 
orders. 

Hobson,  at  the  first  mention  of  his  name,  had  glanced 
quickly  about  him  as  though  seeking  some  means  of  escape, 
but  on  hearing  the  alias — the  name  he  had  supposed  un 
known  in  America — he  paused  for  an  instant,  seemingly 
half  paralyzed  with  terror.  But  the  sight  of  the  approach 
ing  sheriff  broke  the  spell,  and  he  made  a  sudden  lunge 
through  the  crowd  in  the  direction  of  an  open  window. 
His  progress  was  speedily  checked  by  one  of  the  deputies, 
however,  and  after  a  short,  ineffectual  struggle  he  sullenly 
submitted. 

"Bring  the  witness  forward,"  said  Mr.  Sutherland,  with 
his  calm,  slow  smile  ;  "  we  may  call  upon  him  before  long, 
and  he  would  probably  prefer  a  seat  convenient  to  the  wit 
ness  stand." 

As  he  was  seated  opposite  and  facing  the  English  party, 
it  was  noted  that  the  face  of  the  old  servant  lighted  up  with 
a  look  of  recognition,  and  he  watched  the  new-comer  with 
evident  interest.  Hobson,  having  carefully  avoided  the 
eyes  of  both  Alfred  Barton  and  the  private  secretary,  soon 
became  aware  of  Wilson's  scrutiny,  and  after  regarding  him 

224 


MUTUAL   RECOGNITIONS 

fixedly  for  a  moment  seemed  suddenly  to  recognize  him  in 
turn,  and  also  to  realize  at  the  same  time  the  import  of  his 
presence  there,  which,  apparently,  did  not  tend  to  lessen 
his  agitation. 

Slowly  Mr.  Sutherland  unfolded  the  document  he  held, 
yellow  with  age,  the  edges  of  its  folds  so  frayed  and  tattered 
as  to  render  the  writing  in  some  places  almost  illegible. 
Slowly,  in  deep,  resonant  tones,  he  read  the  opening  words 
of  the  old  will ;  words  of  unusual  solemnity,  which  caused 
a  hush  to  fall  over  the  crowded  court-room  : 

' '  In  the  name  of  God  ;  Amen.  Know  all  men,  that  I, 
Ralph  Maxwell  Mainwaring,  being  of  sound  and  disposing 
mind  and  memory,  but  now  upon  my  death-bed,  soon  to 
appear  in  the  presence  of  my  Maker,  do  make  and  publish 
this,  my  last  will  and  testament ;  hereby  revoking  and  set 
ting  aside  any  and  every  will  at  any  time  heretofore  made 
by  me." 

Then  followed,  in  quaint  phraseology,  the  terms  of  the 
will ;  by  which  the  full  right  and  title  of  the  first-born  son, 
under  the  English  law,  were  conveyed  to  Harold  Scott 
Mainwaring,  and  all  legal  processes  theretofore  entered 
into,  depriving  him  of  such  rights,  were  forever  annulled ; 
restoring  to  the  said  Harold  Scott  Mainwaring,  as  his  right 
ful  inheritance,  the  entire  family  estate,  including  other 
valuable  property ;  the  said  property  at  his  death  to  pass  to 
his  eldest  living  son,  or  in  case  of  his  dying  without  issue, 
to  revert  to  his  brother  Hugh,  were  the  latter  living,  if  not, 
to  the  nearest  living  heirs  of  the  Mainwarings ;  but  on  no 
account  was  any  portion  of  the  estate  or  property  to  pass 
to  the  wife  of  Harold  Scott  Mainwaring,  should  she  survive 
him. 

As  the  reading  of  the  will  progressed,  Hobson's  feelings, 
too  deep  and  genuine  at  that  moment  for  disguise,  were 
plainly  mirrored  in  his  face.  Having  for  years  believed 
js  225 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

the  old  will  destroyed,  as  he  now  listened  to  the  words  dic 
tated  to  himself  upon  that  memorable  night,  so  long  ago, 
it  was  little  wonder  that  to  his  cowardly  soul  it  seemed  like 
a  voice  from  the  dead,  and  that  astonishment,  fear,  and 
dread  were  depicted  on  his  features,  merging  into  actual 
terror  as  the  attorney  at  last  pronounced  the  names  of  the 
witnesses,  Alexander  McPherson  and  Richard  Hobson. 

For  a  few  seconds  his  brain  reeled,  and  he  saw  only  the 
face  of  the  dying  man  as  it  looked  that  night, — stern  and 
pale,  but  with  dark,  piercing  eyes,  deep -set,  within  whose 
depths  still  gleamed  the  embers  of  a  smouldering  fire  which 
now  seemed  burning  into  his  inmost  soul.  Trembling  from 
head  to  foot,  Hobson,  with  a  mighty  effort,  regained  his 
scattered  faculties  and  again  became  conscious  of  his  sur 
roundings,  only  to  find  the  eyes  of  the  secretary  fixed  upon 
his  face,  and,  as  he  shrank  from  their  burning  gaze,  the  truth 
flashed  suddenly  upon  him. 

"  The  face  of  old  Mainwaring  himself !"  he  muttered  in 
horror ;  then  added,  with  an  oath,  ' '  Fool  that  I  was  not 
to  have  known  it  sooner  !  That  woman  lied  J" 


226 


CHAPTER    XX 

OPENING    FIRE 

THE  first  witness  called  to  the  stand  by  Mr.  Sutherland 
was  James  Wilson.  There  were  many  present  who  noted 
the  resemblance  between  him  and  his  son,  John  Wilson, 
who  had  given  testimony  at  the  inquest,  though  unaware 
of  the  relationship  between  them. 

' '  Mr.  Wilson, ' '  said  the  attorney,  after  the  usual  prelim 
inaries,  ' '  I  understand  you  were  for  a  number  of  years  in 
the  employ  of  Ralph  Maxwell  Mainwaring,  the  testator 
whose  name  is  affixed  to  this  will ;  is  that  so  ?" 

"Yes,  sir,"  was  the  reply,  while  the  attention  of  the 
crowd  was  at  once  riveted  upon  the  witness. 

"Will  you  state  how  long  you  were  in  his  employ,  and 
in  what  capacity?" 

"  I  was  his  valet,  sir,  from  his  twenty-fifth  year  until  the 
day  of  his  death,  a  little  above  thirty-five  years,  sir ;  and 
during  his  last  illness,  of  about  three  months,  I  was  with 
him  constantly,  you  might  say,  sir. ' ' 

' '  Do  you  recognize  the  document  just  read  in  your  hear 
ing  as  anything  which  you  have  heard  before  ?' ' 

"That  I  do,  sir." 

"  State  when  and  under  what  circumstances  you  have 
previously  heard  it." 

"  At  the  death -bed  of  Mr.  Ralph  Mainwaring,  sir,  twenty- 
five  years  ago  the  seventeenth  of  last  November.  I  was 
present  at  the  making  of  that  will,  sir,  the  night  before 
Mr.  Mainwaring  died.  I  heard  him  give  those  words  to 
the  lawyer,  and  then  heard  them  read  to  him  before  the 
will  was  signed." 

227 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

" By  whom  was  it  drawn?" 

' '  By  Richard  Hobson,  sir ;  the  man  sitting  there, ' ' 
pointing  to  the  shrinking  figure  of  Hobson. 

"Do  you  positively  identify  that  man  as  the  writer  of 
this  will?" 

"That  I  do,  sir,"  with  marked  emphasis;  "when  one 
once  sets  eyes  on  the  likes  o'  him,  he's  not  likely  to  forget 
him  soon." 

"Was  Richard  Hobson  the  attorney  of  Mr.  Main- 
waring  ?' ' 

"Ah,  no,  sir,"  with  evident  scorn ;  "his  attorney  was 
Mr.  Alfred  Barton,  the  father,  sir,  of  this  gentleman,"  in 
dicating  the  English  barrister,  while  the  interest  of  the 
crowd  deepened. 

"  How,  then,  was  this  man  employed  to  draw  the  will?" 

"  Mr.  Barton  was  out  of  town,  sir ;  and  as  Mr.  Main- 
waring  was  dying  and  naught  would  satisfy  him  but  to  have 
a  lawyer,  they  brought  Mr.  Barton's  clerk." 

"  State  the  circumstances  under  which  this  will  was 
drawn ;  was  Mr.  Mainwaring  influenced  by  any  one  to 
make  it  ?' ' 

' '  He  was  influenced  by  none  but  his  own  conscience, 
sir.  You  see,  sir,  three  or  four  years  before,  he  was  very 
angry  with  his  elder  son,  and  cut  him  off  without  a  shilling 
and  gave  everything  to  Mr.  Hugh.  But  it  broke  his  heart 
to  do  it,  for  Mr.  Harold  was  his  favorite,  as  indeed  he  was 
everybody's,  though  he  never  mentioned  his  name  again 
until  the  night  he  made  the  will.  Well,  sir,  all  that  day 
we  knew  he  was  dying,  and  he  knew  it,  and  he  was  restless 
till  late  at  night,  when  of  a  sudden  he  tells  us  to  get  his 
lawyer.  Mr.  Hugh  tried  to  put  him  off,  and  told  us  his 
mind  was  wandering ;  but  'twas  no  use;  and  the  carriage 
was  sent  for  Mr.  Barton,  and  when  word  was  brought  back 
that  he  was  out  of  town,  it  was  sent  again  and  brought  back 

228 


OPENING    FIRE 

his  clerk.  Everything  was  all  ready,  and  he  propped  up 
in  bed  by  pillows,  his  eyes  burning  as  though  there  was  fire 
in  them.  He  repeated  those  words  while  the  lawyer  wrote 
them  down,  and  then  had  them  read  to  him,  and  at  fifteen 
minutes  of  twelve  o'clock  the  will  was  signed  and  sealed." 

' '  You  were  present  during  the  drawing  up  of  the 
will?" 

"Yes,  sir,  I  was  present  through  it  all,  but  not  where 
the  others  saw  me.  When  the  lawyer  came,  Mr.  Hugh 
told  me  to  leave  the  room ;  but  as  I  was  going  his  father 
called  me  back  and  bade  me  stay,  and  I  was  standing  at 
the  foot  of  the  bed,  hidden  by  the  curtains  of  the  canopy, 
so  none  but  the  old  gentleman  saw  me. ' ' 

"  Who  else  was  present?" 

"Mr.  Mainwaring's  old  friend,  Sandy  McPherson,  Mr. 
Hugh,  and  the  lawyer." 

' '  No  one  else  ?     Were  there  no  physicians  present  ?' ' 

"  There  were  physicians  in  the  house,  sir,  but  not  in  the 
room." 

"  How  long  did  Mr.  Mainwaring  live  afterwards?" 

"He  died  at  five  o'clock  the  next  morning,  sir;  his 
strength  went  fast  after  that  was  done,  but  he  rested  easy 
and  seemed  satisfied. ' ' 

"  What  was  done  with  the  will  ?' ' 

"  Mr.  Hobson  took  it  away  with  him  that  night." 

' '  Have  you  ever  seen  it  since  ?' ' 

"No,  sir." 

"Mr.  Wilson,"  said  the  attorney,  showing  the  witness 
the  will,  "  can  you  swear  to  these  signatures  as  being  the 
same  which  you  saw  affixed  to  the  will  upon  that  night?" 

Wilson  studied  the  document  attentively  for  a  moment. 
"Yes,  sir,  that  is  Mr.  Mainwaring's  writing,  only  a  bit 
unsteady,  for  his  hand  trembled.  McPherson' s  writing  I 
know,  and  you  mark  that  blot  after  his  name?  I  re- 

229 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

member  his  fussing  that  night  because  he  had  blotted  the 
paper. ' ' 

"And  the  third  name,  is  that  the  signature  of  this  man, 
Richard  Hobson?" 

"I  know  naught  about  that  man's  writing,"  the  old 
fellow  replied,  with  a  shrewd  look;  "but  you  will  mind 
that  the  name  is  the  same  writing  as  the  will  itself,  and  he 
wrote  that  and  signed  his  name  to  it,  for  I  saw  him." 

"  And  you  have  neither  seen  that  will,  nor  heard  it  read 
until  this  morning  ?' ' 

"No,  sir." 

"You  have  remembered  it  all  these  years?" 

"Maybe  not  word  for  word,  sir,  but  I  have  kept  the 
sense  of  it  in  my  mind. ' ' 

"  Are  you  positive  that  this  is  the  will  drawn  up  on  the 
night  of  which  you  speak  ?' ' 

"That  lam,  sir." 

"  Did  you  ever  speak  to  any  one  of  this  will?" 

"  To  none  but  my  son,  sir.  Mr.  Hugh  Mainwaring  was 
that  sort  of  a  man,  I  could  not  speak  to  him  about  it,  or 
ask  about  his  brother.  I  asked  to  be  allowed  to  stay  about 
the  old  place  in  hopes  that  some  day  Mr.  Harold  would 
come  back  to  have  a  look  at  his  old  home,  and  I  could 
tell  him  of  it,  for  I  thought  things  had  not  gone  right  al 
together.  Then  we  heard  of  his  death,  and  I  thought  it 
was  too  late  ;  I  could  do  no  good  by  speaking,  and  I  held 
my  tongue  until  the  young  gentleman  came. ' ' 

Wilson  was  then  dismissed  and  Hobson  was  next  called 
to  the  stand.  More  even  than  the  reading  of  the  old  will, 
the  truth  which  had  dawned  upon  Hobson 's  mind  as  he 
met  the  piercing  gaze  of  the  secretary,  had  convinced  him 
that  the  position  which  he  had  intended  to  assume,  adverse 
to  the  new  claimant  and  as  an  ally  of  Ralph  Mainwaring' s, 
was  neither  politic  nor  safe.  His  views  on  that  subject  had 

230 


OPENING   FIRE 

undergone  a  decided  change,  and,  with  his  usual  weather- 
vane  proclivities,  he  was  now  preparing  to  take  a  totally 
different  stand  and  strive  to  ingratiate  himself  into  the  favor 
of  the  new  heir,  at  the  same  time  leaving,  if  possible,  a 
few  loop-holes  through  which  he  could  retreat,  should 
some  veering  wind  change  his  course  in  another  direction. 

"Mr.  Hobson,"  said  the  attorney,  somewhat  abruptly, 
when  the  necessary  preliminaries  were  over,  ' '  did  you  on 
the  night  of  November  17,  18 — ,  act  as  attorney  for  Ralph 
Maxwell  Mainwaring,  in  the  drawing  up,  at  his  request,  of 
his  last  will  and  testament  ?' ' 

' '  I  believe  so,  sir, ' '  was  the  guarded  answer. 

' '  Did  you  or  did  you  not  ?' '  Mr.  Sutherland  per 
sisted. 

"I  did,  sir." 

"  Have  you,  during  all  these  years,  had  any  knowledge 
that  the  will  you  drew  under  the  circumstances  already 
mentioned  was  still  in  existence  ?' ' 

After  a  slight  pause,  the  witness  replied,  "I  had  no 
positive  knowledge  to  that  effect." 

"  Did  you  believe  the  will  to  be  in  existence?" 

Hobson  reflected  a  moment,  then  replied,  cautiously,  "  I 
was  led  to  suppose  that  the  will  did  not  exist. ' ' 

' '  You  remember  the  form,  terms,  and  conditions  of  the 
document  drawn  by  yourself  on  that  occasion?" 

' '  I  do,  perfectly, ' '  he  replied,  with  more  assurance. 

"  State  whether  the  will  read  in  your  hearing  this  morn 
ing  is  identical  with  the  one  drawn  by  yourself. ' ' 

Hobson  now  saw  the  drift  of  the  attorney's  questions, 
but  it  was  too  late. 

"  As  near  as  I  can  recollect,"  he  stammered,  but  a  word 
from  Mr.  Sutherland  recalled  him. 

"You  just  said  you  remembered  perfectly." 

"  I  believe  they  are  identical  in  form." 
231 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

"Mr.  Hobson,"  said  the  attorney,  spreading  out  the 
document  before  the  witness,  but  still  retaining  his  hold 
upon  it,  "will  you  state  to  the  court  whether  that  is  your 
writing,  and  whether  the  last  name,  that  of  the  second 
witness,  is  your  signature. ' ' 

With  great  precision,  Hobson  adjusted  a  pair  of  eye 
glasses  and  proceeded  to  scrutinize  the  writing  closely. 
"Well,"  he  remarked,  at  length,  very  deliberately,  "  I  do 
not  deny  that  to  be  my  writing,  nor  am  I  prepared  to  posi 
tively  affirm  that  it  is  such.  The  fact  is,  my  chirography 
varies  so  much  from  time  to  time  that  I  often  find  it  diffi 
cult  for  me  to  verify  my  own  signatures. ' ' 

"  Here  are  some  papers  which  may  assist  the  gentleman, 
and  may  be  of  some  use  to  the  court,"  said  a  deep  voice 
with  rich,  musical  inflections,  but  slightly  tinged  with  sar 
casm,  and  the  English  attorney  handed  a  small  package  to 
Mr.  Sutherland.  "They  contain,"  he  added,  "some 
specimens  of  the  witness's  chirography  of  about  the  same 
date  as  the  will. ' ' 

"The  writing  in  both  cases  is  identical,"  said  Mr. 
Sutherland,  as,  having  examined  the  papers,  he  showed 
them  to  Hobson,  but  a  glance  at  their  contents  seemed 
rather  to  confuse  the  witness  than  otherwise,  for  he  remained 
silent. 

"Do  you  acknowledge  these  letters  to  be  of  your  writ 
ing?"  inquired  the  attorney. 

"  I  do,  sir ;  and  I  have  no  doubt  but  that  the  other  is  my 
writing  also. ' ' 

"  You  acknowledge  this,  then,  as  the  will  which  you  wrote 
at  the  dictation  of  Ralph  Maxwell  Mainwaring  the  night 
before  his  death  ?' ' 

"  I  believe  it  is,  sir." 

"  Mr.  Hobson,  why  was  this  will  not  make  public  fol 
lowing  Mr.  Mainwaring' s  death  and  burial?" 

232 


OPENING    FIRE 

"  On  the  day  after  his  death,  I  gave  it  into  the  keeping 
of  his  son,  Hugh  Mainwaring,  at  his  own  request,  and  he 
afterwards  gave  me  to  understand  that  it  was  lost. ' ' 

"And  you  were  paid  for  keeping  silent  as  to  the  exist 
ence  of  such  a  will,  were  you  not  ?' ' 

"  I  may  have  been,"  the  witness  replied,  with  a  calm 
ness  born  of  desperation. 

' '  That  is  sufficient  for  the  present. ' ' 

A  few  moments  followed  in  which  the  attorneys  con 
sulted  together,  while  comments  in  tones  of  subdued  excite 
ment  and  expectancy  were  exchanged  among  the  crowd. 

Ralph  Mainwaring  had  sat  with  darkening  face  through 
out  the  testimony  thus  far ;  now  he  remarked  to  Mr.  Whit 
ney,  with  a  bitter  sneer, — 

"Fine  witnesses!  A  beggarly  shyster  whose  oath  is 
worthless,  and  an  imbecile  old  servant,  who  could  be  bought 
for  a  half-crown  ! ' ' 

Young  Mainwaring  turned  upon  his  father  a  look  of  in 
dignant  surprise.  "Governor,"  he  said,  "  it  would  not 
be  well  for  you  if  either  old  James  Wilson  or  his  son  heard 
that  remark  of  yours  !" 

"  It  will  be  well  for  you  to  attend  to  your  own  business 
and  keep  your  mouth  shut ! ' '  responded  his  father,  an 
grily. 

Beneath  the  calm  exterior  which  the  young  man  pre 
served,  the  old  Mainwaring  blood  was  now  fast  rising,  but 
he  made  no  reply,  for  at  that  instant  Mr.  Sutherland  an 
nounced  the  name  of  the  next  witness : 

"  Harold  Scott  Mainwaring  !" 

There  was  a  sudden  hush  throughout  the  court-room, 
broken  an  instant  later  by  a  low  murmur  of  mingled  aston 
ishment,  incredulity,  and  wonder  as  the  private  secretary 
rose  and  walked  towards  the  witness  stand.  A  few  com . 
ments  reached  his  ears,  but  he  seemed  unconscious  of  them, 

233 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

and,  having  taken  his  place,  turned  towards  the  audience  a 
face  cold  and  impassive,  inscrutable  to  his  enemies,  who 
could  read  nothing  of  the  conflicting  emotions  beneath  that 
calm,  immobile  surface. 

He  saw  the  crowd  of  upturned  faces — incredulous,  won 
dering,  curious ;  he  caught  the  mocking  smile  of  Mrs.  La- 
Grange  and  Ralph  Mainwaring's  dark,  sinister  sneer;  but 
he  took  little  note  of  these.  Like  an  arrow  speeding  to 
the  mark,  his  glance  sought  the  face  of  young  Hugh  Main- 
waring.  Their  eyes  met,  and  in  that  brief  moment  there 
was  recalled  to  each  a  starlit  night  on  one  of  the  balconies 
at  Fair  Oaks,  and  the  parting  words  of  young  Mainwaring 
to  the  secretary,  "I'm  your  friend,  Scott,  and  whatever 
happens,  I'll  stand  by  you." 

With  swift  intuition  each  read  the  other's  thought,  and, 
although  there  was  no  outward  sign,  Harold  Mainwaring 
knew  from  that  instant  that  there  would  be  no  retraction 
of  that  pledge. 

The  slight  ripple  of  excitement  died  away  while  the 
witness  was  sworn,  and  the  crowd  listened  with  interest  even 
to  the  preliminary  interrogatories. 

"Where  were  you  born?"  asked  the  attorney. 

"  In  Melbourne,  Australia,"  was  the  reply,  while  deep 
silence  awaited  Mr.  Sutherland's  next  question. 

"Mr.  Mainwaring,  I  believe  you  are  familiar  with  the 
will  just  read,  are  you  not  ?' ' 

"lam." 

"Please  state  when,  and  under  what  conditions,  you 
gained  your  knowledge  of  this  will." 

' '  I  first  learned  that  such  a  will  had  existed  and  knew 
its  general  terms,  between  five  and  six  years  since,  through 
information  given  me  by  James  Wilson.  From  data  found 
a  little  over  a  year  ago  among  the  personal  letters  of  the 
deceased  Hugh  Mainwaring,  I  ascertained  that  the  will 

234 


OPENING    FIRE 

was  still  in  existence,  and  on  the  yth  of  July  last  I  dis 
covered  the  document  itself  and  became  personally  familiar 
with  its  contents." 

At  the  mention  of  the  name  of  Hugh  Mainwaring  and 
of  the  date  so  eventful  in  the  recent  history  of  Fair  Oaks, 
the  interest  of  the  crowd  deepened. 

"  Did  you  discover  the  document  accidentally,  or  after 
special  search  for  it  ?' ' 

"As  the  result  of  a  systematic  search  for  more  than  a 
year. ' ' 

"  Please  state  whether  you  took  any  steps  leading  to  the 
discovery  of  this  will  during  the  four  or  five  years  im 
mediately  following  your  first  knowledge  of  it ;  and  if  so, 
what  ?' ' 

"As  I  first  learned  of  the  will  soon  after  entering  Ox 
ford,  my  studies  necessarily  occupied  the  greater  part  of  my 
time  for  the  next  three  or  four  years ;  but  I  lost  no  oppor 
tunity  for  gaining  all  possible  information  relating  not  only 
to  the  Mainwaring  estate,  but  more  particularly  to  Hugh 
Mainwaring  and  his  coadjutor,  Richard  Hobson.  Among 
other  facts,  I  learned  that  immediately  after  the  settlement 
of  the  estate,  Hugh  Mainwaring  had  disposed  of  the  same 
and  left  England  for  America,  while  about  the  same  time 
Richard  Hobson  suddenly  rose  from  a  penniless  pettifogger 
to  a  position  of  affluence. 

"As  soon  as  my  studies  were  completed,  I  sailed  for 
America,  with  the  avowed  determination  of  securing  fur 
ther  evidence  regarding  the  will,  and  of  establishing  my 
claim  to  the  property  fraudulently  withheld  from  my  father 
and  from  myself.  In  the  securing  of  the  necessary  evidence 
I  succeeded  beyond  my  expectations.  As  Hugh  Main- 
waring's  private  secretary,  I  gained  access  to  the  files  of 
his  personal  letters,  and  soon  was  familiar  with  the  entire 
correspondence  between  himself  and  Richard  Hobson, 

235 


THAT    MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

from  which  I  learned  that  the  latter  was  demanding  and 
receiving  large  sums  of  money  as  the  price  of  his  silence 
regarding  some  past  fraudulent  transaction.  The  nature 
of  that  transaction,  I  ascertained  in  this  marginal  note,  in 
Hugh  Mainwaring's  handwriting,  upon  one  of  Hobson's 
letters  which  happened  to  be  more  insolent  in  its  tone  than 
the  rest.  With  the  permission  of  the  court  I  will  read  it : 

"  '  He  insinuates  that  I  destroyed  the  will ;  I  only  gave 
him  to  understand  that  it  was  lost.  Little  he  dreams  it  is 
still  in  my  possession  and  will  be,  until  such  time  as  I, 
too,  have  to  make  final  disposition  of  my  estate  !  Why  I 
did  not  destroy  it,  or  why  I  do  not,  now  that  the  property 
is  rightfully  mine,  I  cannot  say,  except  that  I  dare  not ! 
"Thus  conscience  does  make  cowards  of  us  all  ?" 

"With  the  discovery  of  these  words,"  concluded  the 
witness,  "  began  my  search  for  the  will  itself." 

"From  the  discovery  of  this  letter  which  led  you  to 
believe  the  will  was  still  in  existence,  you  prosecuted  your 
search  for  the  document  until  the  7th  of  last  July  ?' ' 

"Yes,  sir,  whenever  an  opportunity  for  search  was 
offered." 

"Where  did  you  finally  find  the  will?" 

"In  the  safe,  in  Mr.  Mainwaring's  private  apartments 
at  Fair  Oaks." 

"On  July  7  last?" 

"Yes,  sir." 

"  That  was  the  day  on  which  you,  acting  as  Hugh  Main 
waring's  secretary,  had  drawn,  at  his  dictation,  his  last 
will  and  testament,  was  it  not  ?' ' 

"It  was." 

"Mr.  Mainwaring,"  said  the  attorney,  deliberately,  his 
eye  quick  to  read  the  faces  about  him,  ' '  is  there  in  your 
mind  any  connection  between  that  event  and  your  dis 
covery  of  this  will  ?' ' 

236 


OPENING   FIRE 

"Only  the  most  indirect,"  was  the  reply,  given  with 
equal  deliberation.  "  The  fact  that  Hugh  Mainwaring  was 
making  final  disposition  of  his  property  naturally  spurred 
me  on  to  increased  action,  since,  in  making  final  adjustment 
of  his  papers,  he  would  be  more  than  likely  to  destroy  the 
old  will.  This  incentive,  together  with  the  fact  that  op 
portunity  was  given  me  for  a  more  thorough  search  than  I 
had  been  able  to  make  prior  to  that  time,  combined  to 
bring  about  the  discovery  of  the  will." 

' '  Please  state  the  time  and  circumstances  of  your  find 
ing  it." 

' '  I  found  it  late  in  the  afternoon,  while  Mr.  Main- 
waring  and  his  guests  had  gone  for  a  long  drive.  I  de 
termined  to  leave  no  place  unexplored  where  it  could  pos 
sibly  be  concealed  ;  after  about  an  hour's  search  I  found 
it." 

"  What  did  you  then  do  with  it  ?" 

"  I  retained  it  in  my  possession,  and  at  the  earliest  op 
portunity  secreted  it  within  my  own  room. ' ' 

"  It  was  in  your  possession  during  the  following  evening 
and  night  ?' ' 

"  It  was." 

' '  Mr.  Mainwaring, ' '  said  Mr.  Sutherland,  with  marked 
emphasis,  ' '  please  state  whether  you  mentioned  to  Hugh 
Mainwaring  the  discovery  of  the  will,  or  had  any  conver 
sation  with  him  relating  thereto." 

"  I  made  no  mention  of  the  matter  to  him  whatever. 
Except  for  a  few  moments,  immediately  upon  his  return, 
I  did  not  see  him  alone  until  about  midnight,  when  he 
appeared  fatigued,  and  I  would  not  introduce  the  subject 
at  a  time  so  inopportune. ' ' 

After  a  slight  pause,  Mr.  Sutherland  continued.  "You 
claim  to  be  the  lawful  son  of  the  Harold  Scott  Mainwaring 
mentioned  in  this  will,  and  as  such  the  lawful  heir,  under 

237 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

its  terms  and  conditions,  of  the  Mainwaring  prop 
erty  ?' ' 

"I  do." 

' '  Has  it  not  been  generally  understood  among  those 
supposed  to  have  knowledge  of  the  facts  in  the  case  that 
Harold  Scott  Mainwaring,  at  the  time  of  his  death,  had  no 
living  child  ?' ' 

' '  That  has  been  the  general  understanding. ' ' 

"Will  you  explain  how  the  fact  of  your  existence  has 
been  kept  concealed  all  these  years  ?' ' 

The  silence  following  the  attorney's  question  was  so  deep 
as  to  be  oppressive  until  broken  by  the  answer  of  the  wit 
ness,  clear,  cold,  and  penetrating  to  the  remotest  corner 
of  the  crowded  room. 

"Within  an  hour  from  my  birth,  a  dead  child  was  sub 
stituted  in  my  place,  and  I  was  secretly  given  by  my  father 
into  the  keeping  of  trusted  friends,  with  instructions  that 
until  I  had  nearly  attained  my  majority  I  was  not  even  to 
know  of  his  existence,  or  of  the  relationship  existing  be 
tween  us. ' ' 

"  Mr.  Mainwaring,"  said  the  attorney,  "are  you  willing 
to  state  the  reasons  for  such  an  extraordinary  proceeding 
on  his  part  ?' ' 

For  the  first  time  the  impassive  bearing  and  the  calm, 
even  tones  of  the  witness  gave  way ;  the  smouldering  fire 
in  his  dark  eyes  burst  forth,  as  with  impassioned  utterance 
and  voice  vibrating  with  emotion,  he  replied, — 

"  It  was  done  because  of  sorrow,  more  bitter  than  death, 
in  his  own  heart  and  home,  of  which  he  wished  me  to  know 
nothing  until  I  had  reached  the  years  of  manhood  and  could 
understand  the  nature  of  his  wrongs ;  it  was  done  that  I 
should  be  forever  barred  from  all  association  with,  or 
knowledge  of,  the  base,  false-hearted  woman  who  bore  his 
name  only  to  dishonor  it, — who,  though  she  had  given  me 

238 


OPENING    FIRE 

birth,  yet  believed  me  dead, — that  I  might  live  as  ignorant 
of  her  existence  as  she  of  mine ;  it  was  done  because  of 
his  love  for  his  only  child,  a  love  for  which  I  would  to-day 
gladly  suffer  dishonor  and  even  death,  if  I  could  but  avenge 
his  wrongs  ! ' ' 

Only  Harold  Mainwaring's  attorneys  understood  the 
spirit  which  prompted  his  words,  but  they  carried  his  audi 
ence  with  him  in  a  sudden  wave  of  sympathy,  and  as  he 
paused,  men  applauded  and  women  sobbed,  while  the  judge 
vainly  rapped  for  order. 

One  figure  alone  remained  motionless,  spellbound.  Amid 
the  general  excitement,  Mrs.  LaGrange  sat  as  though  turned 
to  stone,  her  hands  clasped  so  tightly  that  the  jewels  cut 
deeply  into  the  delicate  flesh,  every  vestige  of  color  fled 
from  her  face,  her  lips  ashen,  her  eyes  fixed  upon  the  wit 
ness,  yet  seemingly  seeing  nothing.  Gradually,  as  she  be 
came  conscious  of  her  surroundings  and  of  the  curious 
glances  cast  in  her  direction,  she  partially  recovered  her 
self,  though  her  eyes  never  left  the  face  of  the  wit 
ness. 

"Mr.  Mainwaring,"  continued  the  attorney,  when  order 
had  been  restored,  "  when  and  how  did  you  first  learn  that 
you  were  the  son  of  Harold  Scott  Mainwaring?" 

"  My  first  knowledge  regarding  my  own  father  I  received 
at  the  age  of  fifteen  from  my  foster-parents,  who  told  me 
of  the  manner  in  which  I  had  been  given  to  them  and  of 
the  death  of  my  father  a  few  years  later  ;  but  the  full  par 
ticulars  I  did  not  learn  until  my  twenty-first  birthday,  when 
I  received  a  letter  written  by  my  father  soon  after  my  birth, 
and  intrusted  to  the  keeping  of  my  foster-parents  until  I 
should  have  attained  my  majority.  In  that  letter  he  gave 
me  the  story  of  his  life,  of  his  marriage  and  consequent 
disinheritance,  and  of  the  yet  greater  sorrow  which  followed 
shortly,  which  led  him  to  voluntarily  exile  himself  from  his 

239 


THAT    MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

beloved  England,  and  which  finally  led  to  his  sacrifice  of 
the  love  and  companionship  of  his  only  child." 

As  Harold  Mainwaring  paused,  Mr.  Sutherland  remarked, 
' '  I,  myself,  have  seen  the  letter  to  which  the  witness  refers, 
but  I  consider  it  of  too  personal  a  nature  and  too  private  in 
character  to  submit  for  examination.  I  will  say,  however, 
that  both  my  honored  colleague,  Mr.  Barton,  and  myself 
have  compared  it  with  other  letters  and  documents  known 
to  have  been  written  by  Harold  Scott  Mainwaring,  the  elder 
son  of  Ralph  Maxwell  Mainwaring,  and  have  found  the 
writing  in  all  cases  identically  the  same.  There  is  yet  one 
more  question  which  may  have  a  bearing  later  upon  this 
case,  which  I  will  ask  the  witness.  Mr.  Mainwaring,  have 
you,  during  this  time,  received  any  clue  regarding  the 
identity  of  your  mother,  or  is  that  still  unknown  to  you?" 

With  great  deliberation,  the  witness  replied,  "Until 
within  the  past  three  or  four  days,  I  have  known  absolutely 
nothing  regarding  even  the  name  of  the  woman  whom  my 
father  made  his  wife,  or  whether  she  were  still  in  existence. 
I  have  recently  learned,  however,  that  she  is  living,  and, ' ' 
he  added,  more  slowly,  ' '  I  know  that  she  is  present  in  this 
court-room. ' ' 

It  was  afterwards  recalled  that,  as  the  witness  resumed 
his  seat,  a  curious  sound,  something  between  a  gasp  and  a 
sob  was  heard,  but  amid  the  tremendous  sensation  produced 
by  his  last  statement  it  passed  unnoticed. 

With  very  little  delay,  Mr.  Sutherland  announced  the 
name  of  the  last  witness, — 

"Frederick  Mainwaring  Scott !" 

Again  the  silence  deepened  as  the  white-haired  gentle 
man,  with  great  dignity,  took  his  place  upon  the  stand. 
His  heavy,  sonorous  tones  rang  out  over  the  court-room, 
while  from  time  to  time  the  piercing  eyes  beneath  the 
beetling,  snow-white  brows  sought  the  face  of  Ralph  Main- 

240 


OPENING    FIRE 

waring  with  their  silent  but  unmistakable  challenge.  At 
the  first  sound  of  his  voice,  Mrs.  LaGrange's  agitation  in 
creased  perceptibly ;  her  expression  changed  to  abject  terror, 
yet  she  seemed  unable  to  move  or  to  withdraw  her  gaze  from 
his  face. 

To  the  question,  ' '  Where  were  you  born  ?' '  the  witness 
replied,  ' '  I  was  born  in  London,  but  for  the  past  forty-five 
years  have  been  a  resident  of  Melbourne,  Australia. ' ' 

"Are  you  not  connected  with  the  Mainwaring  family?" 

"Distantly.  The  Scott  and  Mainwaring  families  have 
intermarried  for  many  years,  but  I  have  waived  all  claims 
of  relationship  for  nearly  half  a  century. ' ' 

"  Were  you  acquainted  with  the  Harold  Scott  Mainwar 
ing  mentioned  in  this  will  ?' ' 

"  Intimately  acquainted  with  him,  as  we  were  associated 
together  in  business  during  his  entire  stay  in  Australia." 

"  In  what  business  were  you  engaged?" 

"In  the  sheep  business,  principally;  we  were  also  in 
terested  in  the  mines. ' ' 

"  For  how  long  a  time  were  you  associated  together?" 

"  Six  years,  or  thereabouts." 

"Mr.  Scott,  you  are  the  foster-father  of  Harold  Scott 
Mainwaring  who  has  just  preceded  you  upon  the  witness 
stand,  are  you  not?" 

' '  I  am,  and  have  been  from  the  day  of  his  birth. ' ' 

"Will  you  state  the  circumstances  under  which  you  be 
came  his  foster-parent?" 

"Harold  Scott  Mainwaring,  the  elder  son  of  Ralph 
Maxwell  Mainwaring,  came  to  Australia  within  a  year  after 
the  marriage  for  which  he  was  disinherited.  His  reason 
for  leaving  England  was  not,  as  many  have  supposed,  on 
account  of  his  father's  severity,  but  because  of  the  dis 
covery  of  his  wife's  infidelity  after  all  that  he  had  sacrificed 
for  her.  He  brought  her  to  Australia  in  the  vain  hope 

16  241 


THAT    MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

that,  removed  from  other  influences — the  influence  of  his 
own  brother,  in  particular, — she  would  yet  prove  true  to 
him.  Within  the  following  year,  his  son  was  born ;  but 
before  that  event  he  had  fully  learned  the  character  of  the 
woman  he  had  married,  and  he  determined  that  no  child 
of  his  should  be  disgraced  by  any  knowledge  of  its  mother, 
or  contaminated  by  association  with  her.  To  my  wife  and 
myself  he  confided  his  plans,  and,  as  we  had  no  children 
of  our  own,  he  pledged  us  to  the  adoption  of  his  child 
while  yet  unborn.  An  old  and  trusted  nurse  in  our  family 
was  also  taken  into  the  secret,  but  not  the  physician  em 
ployed  on  that  occasion,  as  he  was  a  man  of  no  principle 
and  already  in  league  with  the  fake  wife  against  her 
husband.  When  the  child  was  born,  Mrs.  Mainwaring 
was  very  ill  and  the  babe  received  comparatively  little 
notice  from  the  attendant  physician.  A  dead  child,  born 
but  a  few  hours  earlier,  was  therefore  easily  substituted  for 
the  living  child  of  Harold  Mainwaring,  while  the  latter 
was  secretly  conveyed  to  my  own  home. 

"  A  few  weeks  later,  the  child  was  privately  christened  in 
a  small  church  on  the  outskirts  of  Melbourne  and  the  event 
duly  recorded  upon  the  church  records.  He  was  given  his 
father's  name  in  full,  Harold  Scott  Mainwaring,  but  until 
his  twenty-first  birthday  was  known  among  our  acquaint 
ances  as  Harry  Scott,  the  same  name  by  which  he  has  been 
known  in  your  city  while  acting  as  private  secretary  to 
Hugh  Mainwaring." 

"Are  you  familiar  with  the  letter  written  by  Harold 
Mainwaring  to  his  son  ?' ' 

"  Perfectly  so;  he  gave  it  into  my  keeping  on  the  day 
of  the  christening,  to  be  given  to  his  son  when  he  should 
have  reached  his  majority,  if  he  himself  had  not,  before 
that  time,  claimed  him  as  his  child. ' ' 

' '  You  can  then  vouch  for  its  genuineness  ?' ' 
242 


OPENING   FIRE 

"I  can." 

"  How  long  a  time  elapsed  between  the  birth  of  this 
child  and  the  death  of  Harold  Maimvaring,  the  father?" 

"About  five  years.  He  left  his  wife  soon  after  the 
birth  of  this  child  and  spent  the  greater  part  of  his  time 
at  the  mines.  He  finally  decided  to  go  to  the  gold  fields 
of  Africa,  and  a  few  months  after  his  departure,  we  re 
ceived  tidings  of  the  wreck  of  the  vessel  in  which  he 
sailed,  with  the  particulars  of  his  death  at  sea." 

"  Mr.  Scott,  did  you  ever  hear  of  the  existence  of  this 
will?" 

''Not  until  the  boy,  Harold,  learned  of  it,  soon  after 
he  entered  Oxford." 

"  Do  you  know  how  he  first  heard  of  it?" 

"  He  heard  of  it  from  Wilson,  one  of  the  old  servants 
on  the  Mainwaring  estate,  who  recognized  in  him  a  re 
semblance  to  Ralph  Maxwell  Mainwaring,  and,  learning 
of  his  identity,  told  him  the  history  of  the  will." 

"You  have  been  kept  informed  of  his  search  for  the 
will  and  of  its  final  discovery?" 

"From  the  first;  and  though  the  boy  has  a  good  bit 
of  money  in  his  own  name,  I  will  back  him  in  getting  his 
rights  to  the  very  last  pound  in  my  possession,  and  that, ' ' 
he  added,  while  his  dark  eyes  flashed  ominously,  "  will 
outlast  the  bank-roll  of  any  that  can  go  against  him. ' ' 

"Have  you  any  further  direct  evidence  which  you 
can  produce  in  support  of  the  identity  of  the  claimant  ?' ' 

"I  have,"  the  witness  replied,  and  having  taken  from 
his  pocket  a  large  memorandum  book  and  extracted  there 
from  a  paper,  he  continued,  with  great  deliberation,  — 

' '  I  have  here  a  certified  copy  of  the  record  of  the 
christening,  at  the  church  of  St.  Bartholomew,  on  June 
24,  1 8 — ,  of  Harold  Scott  Mainwaring,  the  first-born 
son  of  Harold  Scott  and  Eleanor  Houghton  Mainwaring. ' ' 

243 


THAT  MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

A  piercing  shriek  suddenly  rang  out  through  the  hushed 
court-room,  and  the  crowd,  turning  involuntarily  at  the 
familiar  name  of  Eleanor  Houghton  Mainwaring  towards 
the  seat  occupied  by  Mrs.  LaGrange,  saw  that  wretched 
woman  sink,  with  a  low,  despairing  moan,  unconscious  to 
the  floor.  As  several  sprang  to  the  assistance  of  the  un 
fortunate  woman,  Mr.  Scott,  turning  swiftly  towards  the 
judge,  exclaimed, — 

"There,  your  honor,  is  a  most  unwilling  witness,  but 
one  who  has  very  effectively  confirmed  my  testimony  ! ' ' 

The  greatest  confusion  followed,  several  women  having 
fainted  from  nervous  excitement,  and,  as  it  was  then  nearly 
noon,  the  court  adjourned  until  the  afternoon  session. 


CHAPTER    XXI 

THE    LAST    THROW 

THERE  being  no  further  testimony  in  the  case,  but  little 
time  was  occupied  by  Mr.  Sutherland  at  the  afternoon  ses 
sion.  Briefly  and  forcibly  he  summarized  the  evidence 
already  adduced,  emphasizing  the  strongest  points  and 
closing  with  numerous  citations  bearing  upon  the  case 
taken  from  recent  decisions  of  the  highest  legal  author 
ities. 

Several  days  would  be  required  for  consideration  of  the 
case  pending  the  decision  of  the  court,  and  as  the  crowd 
surged  out  into  the  corridors  and  diffused  itself  through 
the  various  exits,  there  was  much  speculation  as  to  what 
that  decision  would  be  and  what  would  be  the  action  taken 
by  the  opponents.  Among  the  clubmen  who  had  made 
the  acquaintance  of  Ralph  Mainwaring,  heavy  bets  were 
offered  that  he  would  contest  the  case  before  the  will  was 
even  admitted  to  probate. 

"  He  is  a  fool  if  he  does,"  said  one  ;  "  the  young  fellow 
has  the  best  show. ' ' 

"He'll  not  give  up,  however,"  was  the  reply ;  "he's 
got  too  much  of  the  bull-dog  about  him ;  nothing  will 
make  him  break  his  hold  till  he  has  spent  his  last  shil 
ling." 

"Well,  he'll  spend  it  for  nothing,  that's  all!"  said 
another.  "I'll  wager  you  a  dinner  for  the  whole  club 
that  the  young  fellow  will  beat  him.  Anybody  that  knows 
Sutherland,  knows  he  hasn't  played  his  trump  card  yet; 
and  you  may  rest  assured  that  English  lawyer  isn't  over 
here  as  a  figure-head  !" 

245 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

Ralph  Mainwaring,  passing  hastily  from  the  court-room, 
accompanied  by  Mr.  Whitney,  overheard  the  last  remark. 
His  only  reply,  however,  was  a  look  of  scorn  flashed  at  the 
speaker,  but  the  sardonic  smile  which  lingered  about  his 
closely  compressed  lips  betokened  on  his  part  no  anticipa 
tions  of  defeat,  but  rather  the  reverse.  Even  Mr.  Whitney 
wondered  at  his  silence,  but  young  Mainwaring,  leisurely 
following  in  the  rear,  knew  it  to  be  only  the  calm  which 
presages  the  coming  storm. 

His  father,  followed  by  the  attorney,  stepped  quickly 
into  the  Mainwaring  carriage  and  beckoned  impatiently  for 
him  to  follow,  but  the  younger  man  coolly  declined  the  in 
vitation. 

"No,  thank  you,  governor.  I'm  going  for  a  bit  of  a 
stroll ;  I'll  join  you  and  Mr.  Whitney  at  dinner." 

As  the  carriage  rolled  away  he  stood  for  a  few  moments 
lost  in  thought.  His  father's  words  to  him  that  morning 
had  stung  his  pride  and  aroused  in  him  a  spirit  of  indepen 
dence  altogether  new,  which  had  made  him  the  more  keen 
in  observing  his  father's  expressions  and  movements,  and 
in  drawing  his  own  deductions  therefrom.  He  had  formed 
some  theories  of  his  own,  and  as  he  now  stood  in  the  soft, 
autumnal  sunshine,  he  resolved  to  put  them  to  the  test. 

Turning  suddenly  in  an  opposite  direction  from  that 
which  he  had  at  first  taken,  he  found  himself  confronted 
by  Harold  Mainwaring  and  his  party  as  they  descended 
the  court-house  steps  to  the  carriages  in  waiting. 

Instantly  the  young  men  clasped  hands,  and  the  frank, 
blue  eyes  gazed  into  the  piercing  dark  ones,  with  a  friend 
liness  of  whose  sincerity  there  could  be  no  doubt. 

"  Egad,  old  fellow  !"  he  exclaimed,  in  low  tones,  "I'm 
glad  to  see  you,  though  you  have  taken  us  rather  by  sur 
prise.  I'll  not  take  back  a  word  of  the  promise  I  made 
you,  nor  of  what  I've  said  about  you,  either." 

246 


THE   LAST   THROW 

''I  did  not  think  you  would,  Hugh,"  Harold  replied, 
grasping  the  proffered  hand  heartily;  "  I  had  a  great  deal 
of  faith  in  you  and  in  your  word.  I  only  regretted  that  I 
could  not  explain  matters  at  the  time  ;  it  seemed  like  taking 
advantage  of  you  and  your  friendship,  though  I  warned  you 
that  the  future  might  make  some  unexpected  revela 
tions.  ' ' 

"  Well,  I  don't  regret  anything.  I  always  said  you  had 
good  blood  in  you,  don't  you  know,"  Hugh  continued, 
with  a  boyish  laugh,  then  added,  a  little  huskily,  "I'll  say 
this  much,  and  I  mean  it.  I  would  rather  give  up  what  I 
supposed  was  mine  to  you  than  to  anybody  else  that  I 
know  of." 

' '  Thank  you,  Hugh  ;  I  appreciate  that,  I  assure  you. 
Come  around  to  the  Waldorf,  I  would  like  to  have  a  talk 
with  you. ' ' 

"Indeed  I  will.  Of  course,  I  suppose  it  would  be  of 
no  use  to  ask  you  up  to  the  house ;  I  couldn't  expect  you  to 
come,  but  I'll  see  you  as  soon  as  I  can,"  and  with  another 
handclasp  the  young  men  parted. 

On  arriving  at  the  Waldorf,  a  note  was  handed  to  Harold 
Mainwaring,  with  the  information  that  the  bearer  had  been 
waiting  nearly  an  hour,  as  there  was  an  answer  expected. 
He  well  knew  the  writing ;  it  was  the  same  as  that  of  the 
little  missive  given  him  on  the  first  day  of  the  inquest,  and 
with  darkening  face  he  opened  it  and  read  the  following 
lines : 

' '  I  must  see  you  at  once,  and  I  beg  of  you  to  come  to 
my  apartments  this  afternoon  at  five  o'clock,  without  fail. 
In  the  name  of  mercy,  do  not  deny  me  this  one  favor.  I 
can  tell  you  something  important  for  you  to  know,  of  which 
you  little  dream. 

"ELEANOR  HOUGHTON  MAINWARING." 
247 


THAT    MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

After  brief  consultation  with  his  attorneys,  an  answer 
was  sent  to  the  effect  that  he  would  call  in  compliance  with 
the  request,  and  a  little  later  he  started  upon  his  strange 
errand. 

With  what  wildly  conflicting  emotions  Mrs.  LaG range 
in  her  apartments  awaited  his  coming  may  perhaps  be  more 
easily  imagined  than  portrayed.  She  had  not  recovered 
from  the  morning's  shock,  but  was  nerving  herself  for  the 
coming  ordeal ;  preparing  to  make  her  final,  desperate 
throw  in  the  game  of  life.  Success  now,  in  this  last  ven 
ture,  would  mean  everything  to  her,  while  failure  would 
leave  her  nothing,  only  blank  despair.  Pride,  the  domi 
nant  passion  of  her  life,  struggled  with  a  newly  awakened 
love ;  doubt  and  dread  and  fear  battled  with  hope,  but  even 
in  the  unequal  contest,  hope  would  not  be  vanquished. 

Shortly  before  the  hour  appointed,  Richard  Hobson's 
card  was  handed  her  with  the  information  that  he  must  see 
her  without  delay.  She  understood  the  nature  of  his  errand  ; 
she  knew  his  coming  was  inevitable ;  her  only  desire  was 
to  postpone  the  meeting  with  him  until  after  the  interview 
with  Harold  Mainwaring,  but  on  no  account  would  she  have 
him  know  of  her  appointment  with  the  latter.  She  tore 
the  bit  of  pasteboard  in  two. 

"Tell  him  to  call  to-morrow,"  she  said  to  the  mes 
senger  ;  but  he  soon  returned,  with  another  card  on  which 
was  written, — 

' '  Important !  must  see  you  to-day. ' ' 

It  was  nearly  five.  Quickly,  with  fingers  trembling 
from  her  anxiety  lest  he  delay  too  long,  she  wrote, — 

"Call  at  eight  o'clock  this  evening;  lean  see  no  one 
earlier. ' ' 

As  she  gave  the  card  to  the  messenger,  she  glanced  again 
at  the  little  French  clock  on  the  mantel. 

"  Three  hours,"  she  murmured ;  "  three  hours  in  which 
248 


THE   LAST   THROW 

to  decide  my  fate  !  If  I  succeed,  I  can  bid  defiance  to 

that  craven  when  he  shall  come  to-night ;  if  not ' '  she 

shuddered  and  walked  over  to  the  window,  where  she 
watched  eagerly  till  she  saw  the  cringing  figure  going 
hastily  down  the  street. 

He  had  but  just  disappeared  around  the  corner  of  the  block 
when  a  closed  carriage  was  driven  rapidly  to  the  hotel,  and 
a  moment  later  Harold  Scott  Mainwaring  was  announced. 

Her  heart  throbbed  wildly  as  she  turned  to  meet  him, 
then  suddenly  stopped,  seeming  a  dead  weight  in  her 
breast,  as  her  eyes  met  his. 

For  a  moment  neither  spoke ;  once  her  lips  moved,  but 
no  sound  came  from  them.  Before  that  face,  hard  and 
impassive  as  granite,  and  as  cold,  the  impulse  which  she 
had  felt  to  throw  herself  at  his  feet  and  plead  for  mercy 
and  for  love  died  within  her ;  her  tongue  seemed  para 
lyzed,  powerless  to  utter  a  word,  and  the  words  she  would 
have  spoken  fled  from  her  brain. 

With  swift  observation  he  noted  the  terrible  change 
which  the  last  weeks,  and  especially  the  last  few  hours,  had 
wrought  in  the  wretched  woman  before  him,  and  the  suf 
fering,  evidenced  by  her  deathly  pallor,  her  trembling 
agitation,  and  the  look  of  dumb,  almost  hopeless  pleading 
in  her  eyes,  appealed  to  him  far  more  than  any  words 
could  have  done. 

He  was  the  first  to  speak,  and  though  there  was  no  soft 
ening  of  the  stern  features,  yet  his  tones  were  gentle, 
almost  pitying,  as  he  said, — 

"  I  have  come  as  you  requested.  Why  did  you  send  for 
me  ?  What  have  you  to  say  ?' ' 

At  the  sound  of  his  voice  she  seemed  somewhat  reassured, 
and  advancing  a  few  steps  towards  him,  she  repeated  his 
words, — 

"Why  did  I  send  for  you?  Why  should  I  not  send  for 
249 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

you  ?  Think  you  a  mother  would  have  no  desire  to  see  her 
own  son  after  long  years  of  cruel  separation  from  him  ?' ' 

"There  is  no  need  to  call  up  the  past,"  he  said,  more 
coldly;  "the  separation  to  which  you  refer  was,  under 
existing  circumstances,  the  best  for  all  concerned.  It  un 
doubtedly  caused  suffering,  but  you  were  not  the  sufferer  ; 
there  could  be  no  great  depth  of  maternal  love  where  there 
was  neither  love  nor  loyalty  as  a  wife." 

Her  dark  eyes  grew  tender  and  luminous  as  she  fixed 
them  upon  his  face,  while  she  beckoned  him  to  a  seat  and 
seated  herself  near  and  facing  him. 

"You  forget,"  she  replied,  in  the  low,  rich  tones  he  had 
so  often  heard  at  Fair  Oaks  ;  "  you  forget  that  a  mother's 
love  is  instinctive,  born  within  her  with  the  birth  of  her 
child,  while  a  wife's  love  must  be  won.  I  must  recall  the 
past  to  you,  and  you  must  listen ;  '  twas  for  this  I  sent  for 
you,  that  you,  knowing  the  past,  might  know  that,  however 
deeply  I  may  have  sinned,  I  have  been  far  more  deeply 
sinned  against. ' ' 

"  Not  as  regards  my  father,"  he  interposed,  quickly,  as 
she  paused  to  note  the  effect  of  her  words  ;  "he  sacrificed 
fortune,  home,  friends,  everything  for  you,  and  you  re 
warded  his  love  and  devotion  only  with  the  basest  infi 
delity.  ' ' 

"  That  your  father  loved  me,  I  admit,"  she  continued, 
in  the  same  low,  musical  tones,  scarcely  heeding  his  words ; 
"  but,  as  I  said  a  moment  ago,  a  wife's  love  must  be  won, 
and  he  failed  to  win  my  love. ' ' 

' '  Was  his  treacherous  brother  so  much  more  successful 
then  in  that  direction  than  he?"  Harold  questioned, 
sternly.  "  Within  six  months  after  your  marriage  to  my 
father,  you  admitted  that  you  married  him  only  that  you 
might  have  Hugh  Mainwaring  for  your  lover. ' ' 

She  neither  flushed  nor  quailed  under  the  burning  in- 
250 


THE   LAST   THROW 

dignation  of  his  gaze,  but  her  eyes  were  fastened  upon 
him  intently  as  the  eyes  of  the  charmer  upon  his  victim. 

"  Half  truths  are  ever  harder  to  refute  than  falsehood," 
she  replied,  softly.  "  I  said  that  once  under  great  provo 
cation,  but  if  I  sought  to  make  Hugh  Mainwaring  my 
lover,  it  was  not  that  I  loved  him,  but  through  revenge  for 
his  having  trifled  with  me  only  to  deceive  and  desert  me. 
Before  I  married  your  father,  both  he  and  his  brother  were 
among  my  most  ardent  admirers.  The  younger  brother 
seemed  to  me  far  more  congenial,  and  had  he  possessed 
one-half  the  chivalry  and  devotion  which  the  elder  brother 
afterwards  manifested,  he  would  have  completely  won  my 
love.  The  rivalry  between  the  two  brothers  led  to  bitter 
estrangement,  which  soon  became  known  to  their  father, 
who  lost  no  time  in  ascertaining  its  cause.  His  anger  on 
learning  the  facts  in  the  case  was  extreme ;  he  wrote  me 
an  insulting  letter,  and  threatened  to  disown  either  or  both 
of  his  sons  unless  they  discontinued  their  attentions  to 
a  '  disreputable  adventuress, '  as  he  chose  to  style  me. 
Hugh  Mainwaring  at  once  deserted  me,  without  even  a 
word  of  explanation  or  of  farewell,  and,  as  if  that  were 
not  enough,  on  more  than  one  occasion  he  openly  insulted 
me  in  the  presence  of  his  father,  on  the  streets  of  London. 
I  realized  then  for  the  first  time  that  I  cared  for  him, 
coward  that  he  was,  though  I  did  not  love  him  as  he 
thought, — had  I  loved  him,  I  would  have  killed  him,  then 
and  there.  Mad  with  chagrin  and  rage,  I  married  your 
father,  partly  for  the  position  he  could  give  me — for  I  did 
not  believe  that  he,  the  elder  son  and  his  father's  favor 
ite,  would  be  disowned — and  partly  to  show  his  brother  and 
their  father  that  I  still  held,  as  I  supposed,  the  winning 
hand.  On  my  wedding-day  I  vowed  that  I  would  yet 
bring  Hugh  Mainwaring  to  my  feet  as  my  lover,  and  when, 
shortly  afterwards,  your  father  was  disinherited  in  his  favor, 

251 


THAT    MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

my  desire  for  revenge  was  only  intensified.  I  redoubled 
my  efforts  to  win  him,  and  I  found  it  no  difficult  task ;  he 
was  even  more  willing  to  play  the  lover  to  his  brother's 
wife  than  to  the  penniless  girl  whom  he  had  known,  with 
no  possessions  but  her  beauty  and  wit.  At  first,  our  meet 
ings  were  clandestine ;  but  we  soon  grew  reckless,  and  in 
one  or  two  instances  I  openly  boasted  of  my  conquest, 
hoping  thereby  to  arouse  his  father's  displeasure  against 
him  also.  But  in  that  I  reckoned  wrong.  He  disinherited 
and  disowned  his  son  for  having  honorably  married  a 
woman  whom  he  considered  below  him  in  station,  but  for 
an  open  affaire  d'1  a  mo  ur  with  that  son's  wife,  he  had  not 
even  a  word  of  censure. 

"Your  father  discovered  the  situation  and  decided  upon  a 
life  in  Australia.  If  he  had  then  shown  me  some  consider 
ation,  the  future  might  have  been  vastly  different ;  but  he 
grew  morose  and  taciturn,  and  I,  accustomed  to  gay  society 
and  the  admiration  of  crowds,  was  left  to  mope  alone  in  a 
strange  country,  with  no  companionship  whatever.  What 
wonder  that  I  hungered  for  the  old  life,  or  that  a  casual 
admiring  glance,  or  a  few  words  even  of  flattery,  were  like 
cold  water  to  one  perishing  with  thirst !  Then  new  hope 
came  into  my  lonely  life,  and  I  spent  months  in  dreamy, 
happy  anticipations  of  the  future  love  and  companionship 
of  my  child.  But  even  that  boon  was  denied  me.  It  was 
hard  enough,  believing,  as  I  did,  that  my  child  had  died, 
but  to  find  that  I  was  robbed  of  that  which  would  have 
been  not  only  my  joy  and  happiness,  but  my  salvation 
from  the  life  which  followed  ! ' '  She  paused,  apparently 
unable  to  proceed,  and  buried  her  eyes  in  a  dainty  hand 
kerchief,  while  Harold  Mainwaring  watched  her,  the  hard 
lines  deepening  about  his  mouth. 

"After  that,"  she  resumed,  in  trembling  tones,  "all 
hope  was  gone.  Your  father  deserted  me  soon  afterwards, 

252 


THE   LAST  THROW 

leaving  me  nearly  penniless,  and  a  few  years  later  I  re 
turned  to  England." 

"To  find  Hugh  Mainwaring ?"  he  queried. 

"  Not  at  the  first,"  she  answered,  but  her  eyes  fell  before 
the  cynicism  of  his  glance.  "I  had  no  thought  of  him 
then,  but  I  learned  through  Richard  Hobson,  whom  I  met 
in  London  at  that  time,  of  the  will  which  had  been  made 
in  my  husband's  favor,  but  which  he  told  me  had  been 
destroyed  by  Hugh  Mainwaring.  He  said  nothing  of  the 
clause  forbidding  that  any  of  the  property  should  pass  to 
me,  and  I  immediately  sailed  for  America  in  search  of 
Hugh  Mainwaring,  believing  that,  with  my  knowledge  of 
the  will,  I,  as  his  brother's  widow,  could  get  some  hold 
upon  him  by  which  I  could  compel  him  either  to  share  the 
property  with  me  or  to  marry  me." 

' '  Then  you  were  not  married  to  Hugh  Mainwaring  in 
England,  as  you  testified  at  the  inquest  ?' ' 

' '  No, ' '  she  replied,  passionately  ;  "  I  was  never  married 
to  him.  I  have  made  many  men  my  dupes  and  slaves, 
but  he  was  the  one  man  who  made  a  dupe  of  me,  and  I 
hating  him  all  the  time  !" 

"And  Walter  !"  he  exclaimed,  "  you  stated  that  he  was 
the  son  of  Hugh  Mainwaring. ' ' 

"He  is  Hugh  Mainwaring's  son  and  mine,"  she  an 
swered,  with  bitter  emphasis;  "that  was  another  of  my 
schemes  which  failed.  I  found  I  had  little  hold  upon 
Hugh  Mainwaring,  while  he  had  the  same  power  over  me 
as  in  the  days  before  I  had  learned  to  despise  him.  When 
Walter  was  born,  I  hoped  he  would  then  fulfil  his  promises 
of  marriage ;  but  instead,  he  would  have  turned  me  adrift 
had  I  not  threatened  that  I  would  then  disclose  everything 
which  I  knew  concerning  the  will.  He  sneered  at  me,  but 
offered  me  a  place  as  servant  in  his  home,  and  support  and 
education  for  his  child  on  condition  that  the  relationship 

253 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

should  never  be  known,  and  that  I  would  remain  silent  re 
garding  the  will.  I  could  do  nothing  then  but  accept  his 
conditions,  but  they  were  galling, — too  galling  at  last  to 
be  longer  endured  ! ' ' 

"  How  is  it  that  you  and  Walter  bear  the  name  of  La- 
Grange?"  he  asked. 

She  hesitated  a  moment,  then  replied :  "I  married  a 
man  by  that  name  soon  after  leaving  Australia. ' ' 

"Before  or  after  the  tidings  of  my  father's  death?"  he 
questioned,  sternly. 

' '  We  heard  the  news  of  his  death  soon  after  our  mar 
riage,  but  he  had  deserted  me  years  before,  so  it  made 
little  difference.  I  met  Captain  LaGrange  in  Sydney,  and 
we  sailed  together  for  Paris  and  were  married  there,  but 
we  soon  grew  tired  of  each  other.  I  left  him  in  about 
two  years  and  went  to  Vienna,  and  from  there  returned  to 
England.  In  some  way,  Hugh  Mainwaring  learned  of  the 
marriage,  and  when  I  came  to  Fair  Oaks,  he  insisted  on 
my  taking  that  name  for  myself  and  child. ' ' 

She  spoke  wearily  and  with  an  air  of  dejection,  for  it 
was  plainly  evident  that  Harold  Mainwaring  was  not  to  be 
deceived  by  misstatements,  however  plausible,  nor  were 
his  sympathies  to  be  aroused  by  simulated  grief.  A  few 
moments  of  silence  followed,  while  she  watched  him  in 
tently,  her  face  again  falling  into  the  pinched  and  haggard 
outlines  which  he  had  observed  on  entering  the  room. 

When  he  at  last  spoke,  his  voice  was  calm,  without  a 
trace  of  anger  or  bitterness. 

"  Mrs.  LaGrange,  I  have  been  informed  that  in  the  days 
before  you  ruined  my  father's  life  you  were  an  actress  in  a 
second-class  London  playhouse,  and  I  see  you  have  not 
yet  lost  some  little  tricks  of  the  stage ;  but  we  are  not  now 
before  the  footlights,  and  it  will  be  much  better  to  lay  aside 
everything  pertaining  to  them.  Nothing  that  you  have 

254 


THE   LAST  THROW 

said  has  awakened  my  pity  or  touched  my  sympathies  for 
you ;  in  fact,  what  you  have  told  me  has  only  steeled  my 
heart  against  you  because  of  its  utter  falsity.  It  is  un 
necessary  to  go  over  the  ground  again,  but  if  you  could 
not  reciprocate  the  love  and  devotion  bestowed  upon  you 
by  my  father,  you  should  never  have  accepted  it ;  but 
accepting  it  as  you  did,  you  were  bound  by  every  con 
sideration  to  be  true  and  loyal  to  that  love  and  to  him. 
Instead,  from  beginning  to  end,  you  have  been  false  to 
him,  false  to  his  memory,  false  to  your  own  wifehood  and 
motherhood,  false  to  yourself!  I  have  not  come  here  to 
reproach  you,  however.  I  will  only  say  that  I  do  not 
believe  the  capacity — the  capability  even — of  love  exists,  or 
has  ever  existed,  within  you.  But, ' '  he  continued,  in  gentler 
tones,  ' '  the  capacity  for  suffering  does  exist,  and  I  can 
see  without  any  simulation  on  your  part  that  you  have 
suffered. ' ' 

Before  the  look  of  pity  which  now  for  the  first  time 
softened  the  stern  features,  she  broke  down,  and  genuine 
tears  coursed  down  her  pallid  cheeks  as  she  cried,  ' '  Suf 
fered  !  what  have  I  not  suffered  !  I  am  homeless,  penni 
less,  degraded,  an  outcast !  There  is  no  hope,  no  help  for 
me  unless  you  will  help  me.  I  know  what  you  must  think 
of  me,  how  even  you,  my  son,  must  despise  me,  but  as  a 
drowning  man  catches  at  a  straw,  I  sent  for  you,  hoping 
that  you  would  in  mercy  pity  me  and  help  me. ' ' 

' '  Do  you  wish  me  to  help  you  pecuniarily  ?  I  will 
willingly  do  that." 

''Pecuniarily  !"  she  exclaimed,  almost  in  scorn.  "  Can 
not  you  understand  what  I  need  most  ?  It  is  pity,  sym 
pathy,  love  !  I  want  the  love  and  support  of  my  first-born 
son,  and  I  am  willing  to  beg  for  it,"  and,  rising  from  her 
chair,  she  threw  herself  upon  her  knees  beside  him,  "only 
be  my  son,  forget  the  past  and  let  me  be  to  you,  as  I  am, 

255 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

your  mother  !  No,  let  me  be  ! "  she  exclaimed,  as  he 
would  have  raised  her  from  her  kneeling  posture.  "I 
have  no  son  but  you,  for  Walter,  like  his  father,  has  de 
serted  me,  with  taunts  and  sneers.  I  can  help  you,  too," 
she  added,  eagerly,  but  in  low  tones,  ' '  help  you  in  a  way 
of  which  you  little  dream.  Do  you  know  what  Ralph 
Mainwaring  will  attempt  next  ?  He  will  try  to  implicate 
you  in  the  murder  of  Hugh  Mainwaring  !" 

"  That  will  be  no  more  than  you  yourself  attempted  at 
the  inquest,"  he  answered. 

"Ah,  but  his  motive  is  different;  in  my  case  it  was 
but  the  resort  of  a  weak  woman  to  divert  suspicion  from 
herself;  but  he  will  seek  to  fasten  this  crime  upon  you 
to  defeat  you,  to  crush  and  ruin  you,  because  he  fears 
you  as  his  opponent,  and  it  is  within  my  power  to  clear 
you  from  any  charges  he  may  bring  against  you. ' ' 

Her  voice  sank  nearly  to  a  whisper,  her  eyes  were  dilated, 
and  she  was  trembling  with  excitement. 

He  watched  her  intently  for  a  moment,  then  spoke  in  a 
tone  of  calm  command.  "Tell  me  how  you  could  help 
me.  What  do  you  know  of  that  affair  ?' ' 

' '  Listen,  and  I  will  tell  you, ' '  and  leaning  towards  him, 
she  whispered  a  few  words  in  his  ears. 

Only  a  few  words,  but  Harold  Mainwaring  started  as 
from  a  shock,  while  his  face  grew  as  pale  as  her  own,  and 
it  was  with  difficulty  he  could  control  his  voice,  as  he  de 
manded  in  quick,  excited  tones, — 

"  Do  you  know  what  you  are  saying?  Are  you  speak 
ing  the  truth  ?' ' 

"Yes,  before  Heaven,  it  is  the  truth,  and  the  horror  of 
it  has  haunted  me  day  and  night ;  the  thought  of  it  has 
driven  me  nearly  mad,  but  I  dared  not  breathe  it  to  any 
living  human  being. ' ' 

' '  You  have  told  no  one  else  what  you  have  just  told  me?' ' 
256 


THE   LAST   THROW 

"No,  I  dared  not." 

He  asked  a  few  more  questions  which  she  answered,  and 
from  her  manner  he  was  convinced  that  she  spoke  the 
truth.  Then  he  sat  for  a  moment  silent,  his  head  bowed, 
his  eyes  covered,  lost  in  thought,  while  strangely  com 
mingled  emotions  surged  within  his  breast. 

At  last  she  broke  the  silence.  "  It  will  help  you — what 
I  have  told  you — will  it  not  ?' ' 

"It  is  of  inestimable  value  to  me,"  he  answered,  but 
instead  of  exultation,  there  was  a  strange  sadness  in  his  voice. 

' '  You  will  let  me  help  you,  and  you  will  be  a  son  to  me, 
will  you  not  ?' ' 

He  looked  at  her  with  an  expression  of  mingled  pity 
and  bitterness,  and  then,  without  replying,  lifted  her  gently 
but  firmly  and  reseated  her,  while  he  himself  remained 
standing  at  a  little  distance.  She  watched  him  anxiously. 

"Harold,"  at  last  she  ventured,  "  think  what  I  have 
suffered,  and  do  not  refuse  my  one  prayer." 

"  I  can  see  that  you  have  suffered,"  he  answered,  gently ; 
"  and,  as  I  have  told  you,  I  will  help  you  pecuniarily  and 
will  befriend  you,  only  do  not  ask  me  that  which  I  cannot 
give." 

' '  I  ask  nothing  more, ' '  she  exclaimed,  passionately, 
rising  to  her  feet,  ' '  than  that  you  be  a  son  to  me,  and  I 
will  accept  nothing  less." 

"I  am  sorry  to  hear  you  say  that,"  he  replied,  "for 
you  are  only  unnecessarily  depriving  yourself  of  many 
benefits  that  might  be  yours.  I  would  provide  a  home  for 
you  where  you  would  be  unknown,  and  means  that  you 
could  spend  the  remainder  of  your  life  in  comfort. ' ' 

"What  would  I  care  for  any  home  or  wealth  that  you 
might  provide  for  me,"  she  demanded,  angrily,  "if  you 
yourself  would  not  acknowledge  me  as  your  mother  !     I 
will  accept  nothing  from  you  under  such  conditions." 
17  257 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

"  Then  we  may  as  well  end  this  conference,"  he  replied, 
calmly,  "  for  I  hold  my  father  in  too  deep  love  and  rever 
ence  ever  to  permit  of  my  applying  to  you  the  sacred  name 
of  <  Mother.'  " 

Her  eyes  flashed  at  the  mention  of  his  father,  and  she 
was  about  to  speak,  but  he  lifted  his  hand  warningly. 
"  Hush  !"  he  commanded  ;  "  not  one  word  shall  you  speak 
against  him  in  my  presence  !  Before  I  go,  I  will  give  you 
an  opportunity  to  reconsider  your  declaration  of  a  moment 
ago." 

"  I  will  not  reconsider  it.  You  are  like  every  Main- 
waring  that  I  have  ever  known,  in  that  you  think  money 
and  shelter,  such  as  you  might  fling  at  some  superannuated 
servant,  will  take  the  place  of  the  true  position  and  honor 
that  are  my  due." 

"  Do  you  then,  finally  and  once  for  all,  refuse  any  and 
all  offers  of  assistance  from  me?"  he  asked. 

"I  do,"  she  replied,  proudly;  "I  will  not  accept 
charity  from  a  Mainwaring, — not  even  from  you  !" 

"Very  well ;  if  that  is  your  decision,  I  bid  you  adieu," 
and  before  she  could  reply,  he  was  gone. 

He  passed  swiftly  down  the  corridor,  his  head  bowed 
slightly,  looking  neither  to  the  right  hand  nor  to  the  left, 
but  his  step  had  an  elasticity  it  had  not  possessed  in  weeks, 
and  any  one  passing  near  him  would  have  heard  the  single 
exclamation,  "  Thank  God  ! ' ' 

Upon  reaching  his  carriage,  he  spoke  quickly  to  the 
driver,  ' '  To  the  Waldorf  at  once  ! ' '  and  was  borne  away 
by  the  impatient  steeds  even  more  swiftly  than  he  had 
come. 

Meanwhile,  within  the  room  which  he  had  just  left,  the 
wretched  woman,  whose  falseness  and  pride  had  wrought 
her  own  undoing,  stood  listening  to  the  retreating  foot 
steps  ;  she  heard  them  die  away  in  the  distance,  heard  the 

258 


THE   LAST   THROW 

carriage-wheels  roll  rapidly  down  the  avenue,   then  sank 
upon  a  low  couch  with  a  cry  of  despair. 

"All  is  over,"  she  moaned,  "and  I  have  failed.  I 
could  not  force  him  to  my  terms,  and  I  would  never  yield 
to  his.  I  will  take  charity  from  no  one,  least  of  all  from 
him.  I  will  be  first,  or — nothing!"  and  she  shivered 
faintly. 

After  a  time  she  arose,  and  ringing  for  her  maid,  ordered 
a  light  repast  brought  to  her  room,  as  she  would  not  go 
down  to  dinner  ;  ' '  And, ' '  she  concluded,  ' '  you  can  have 
the  evening  to  yourself:  I  expect  callers,  and  will  not  need 
you." 

An  hour  later,  Richard  Hobson  crept  along  the  corridor 
and  tapped  for  admittance.  There  was  no  answer,  and 
cautiously  pushing  open  the  door,  he  entered  unbidden, 
but  started  back  in  horror  at  the  sight  which  met  his  eyes. 

The  electric  lights  had  not  been  turned  on,  but  a  few 
tall  wax  tapers,  in  a  pair  of  candelebra  upon  the  mantel, 
were  burning,  and  in  the  dim,  weird  light,  Mrs.  LaGrange, 
still  elegantly  attired  for  her  interview  with  Harold  Main- 
waring,  lay  upon  the  low  couch  near  the  grate,  her  features 
scarcely  paler  than  a  few  hours  before,  but  now  rigid  in 
death.  Upon  the  table  beside  her,  the  supper  ordered  by 
the  maid  stood  untasted,  while  on  the  same  table  a  small 
vial  bearing  the  label  of  one  of  the  deadliest  of  poisons, 
but  empty,  told  the  story.  Underneath  the  vial  was  a  slip 
of  paper,  on  which  was  written, — 

"  I  have  staked  my  highest  card — and  lost !  The  game  is 
done." 

Terror-stricken,  Hobson  glanced  about  him,  then  pausing 
only  long  enough  to  clutch  some  of  the  gleaming  jewels 
from  the  inanimate  form,  he  stealthily  withdrew,  and, 
skulking  unobserved  along  the  corridors,  passed  out  into 
the  darkness  and  was  gone. 

259 


CHAPTER    XXII 

SECESSION    IN    THE    RANKS 

WHEN  Ralph  Mainwaring  and  Mr.  Whitney  arrived  at 
the  club  they  found  young  Mainwaring  already  awaiting 
them  at  their  private  table,  but  it  was  far  from  a  social 
group  which  sat  down  to  dinner  that  evening.  The  elder 
Mainwaring  still  preserved  an  ominous  silence,  and  in  his 
dark,  glowering  face  few  would  have  recognized  the  urbane 
guest  whom  Hugh  Mainwaring  had  introduced  to  his  small 
coterie  of  friends  less  than  three  months  before.  The 
younger  man,  though  holding  a  desultory  conversation  with 
the  attorney,  yet  looked  decidedly  bored,  while  from  time 
to  time  he  regarded  his  father  with  a  cynical  expression  en 
tirely  new  to  his  hitherto  ingenuous  face.  Mr.  Whitney, 
always  keenly  alert  to  his  surroundings,  became  quickly 
conscious  of  a  sudden  lack  of  harmony  between  father  and 
son,  and  feeling  himself  in  rather  a  delicate  position,  care 
fully  refrained  in  his  remarks  from  touching  upon  any  but 
the  most  neutral  ground. 

A  couple  of  hours  later,  as  the  three  with  a  box  of  cigars 
were  gathered  around  an  open  fire  in  Ralph  Mainwaring's 
apartments,  it  was  noticeable  that  young  Mainwaring  was 
unusually  silent.  In  a  few  moments,  however,  his  father's 
long  pent-up  wrath  burst  forth. 

Addressing  the  attorney  in  no  very  pleasant  tone,  he 
demanded,  ''Well,  sir,  what  do  you  now  propose  to  do 
about  this  matter  ?' ' 

''It  is  to  be  a  fight,  then,  is  it?"  Mr.  Whitney  asked 
with  a  smile,  knocking  the  ashes  from  his  cigar. 

''Yes,  by  my  soul,  and  a  fight  to  the  finish.  Under- 
260 


SECESSION   IN   THE   RANKS 

stand,  I  will  have  no  time  lost.  This  farce  has  got  to  be 
quashed  at  once,  and  the  sooner  the  better,  so  you  may 
enter  protest  and  file  an  application  for  hearing,  or  what 
ever  your  mode  of  procedure  is  in  this  country,  at  the 
earliest  possible  moment.  Meanwhile,  I'll  secure  the  best 
legal  talent  that  money  can  get  to  help  you.  I've  a  longer 
purse  than  that  old  Australian  sheep-herder  thinks,  and 
when  the  time  for  contest  comes,  I'll  meet  him  on  his  own 
ground." 

"  If  you  are  going  to  employ  additional  counsel,"  inter 
posed  Mr.  Whitney,  "allow  me  to  suggest  the  name  of  P. 
B.  Hunnewell,  of  this  city  ;  he  is  one  of  the  ablest  attorneys 
in  the  United  States,  particularly  in  matters  of  this  kind. 
His  fees  are  somewhat  exorbitant,  but  money  is  no  object 
with  you  in  this  case." 

"None  whatever,"  the  other  interrupted,  impatiently; 
' '  we  will  retain  this  Hunnewell  upon  your  recommenda 
tion,  but  in  the  morning  I  shall  cable  for  Upham  &  Black- 
well,  of  London.  They  rank  right  in  the  same  line  with 
Barton  &  Barton  ;  they  have  conducted  considerable  busi 
ness  for  me,  and  I  am  satisfied,"  he  added,  with  peculiar 
emphasis,  ' '  they  could  not  be  tampered  with  or  bought 
at  any  price.  I  shall  also  cable  for  Graham,  the  expert  on 
chirography  and  on  all  kinds  of  forgeries,  and  we  will  have 
his  decision  upon  that  will.  I  am  going,  first  of  all,  un 
derstand,  to  have  that  document  proven  a  forgery.  That 
done,  the  whole  fabrication  of  this  cunning  impostor  falls 
to  the  ground,  and  then,  when  I  have  him  completely 
floored  in  that  direction,  he  will  find  that  I  have  only  just 
begun  with  him." 

"  How  is  that?"  questioned  the  attorney.  "You  surely 
do  not  intend  to  dispute  his  identity  after  the  unmistakable 
proofs  submitted  ?' ' 

"I  care  nothing  about  his  identity,"  Mainwaring  re- 
261 


THAT  MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

torted,  with  a  sneer.  ' '  Whether  he  is  the  son  of  Harold 
Mainwaring  or  of  Frederick  Scott,  matters  little ;  both 
were  renegades  and  outcasts  from  their  homes.  No,  sir, ' ' 
and  there  was  a  ring  of  exultation  in  his  tone,  while  his 
steel-gray  eyes  glittered,  ' '  I  have  a  surprise  in  store  for  the 
young  man ;  when  he  gets  through  with  this  contest,  he 
will  find  himself  under  arrest  as  the  murderer  of  Hugh 
Mainwaring. ' 

Young  Mainwaring  rose  suddenly  and  began  pacing  the 
room,  while  Mr.  Whitney  exclaimed, — 

"Mr.  Mainwaring,  you  astonish  me!  I  certainly  fail 
to  see  how  you  can  connect  the  young  man  with  that  terri 
ble  affair. ' ' 

"What  else  could  be  expected  of  a  man  who  acknowl 
edges  that  for  years  he  has  been  dogging  the  steps  of  Hugh 
Mainwaring  and  acting  the  part  of  a  spy,  not  only  in  his 
private  offices,  but  even  in  his  own  home,  stooping  to  any 
means,  no  matter  how  contemptible,  to  further  his  nefarious 
designs?  Would  such  a  man,  when  his  schemes  were 
finally  matured,  have  any  scruples  about  taking  the  life  of 
the  one  who  stood  in  the  way  of  their  fulfilment  ?' ' 

' '  But,  sir, ' '  protested  the  attorney,  ' '  such  a  deed  would 
be  wholly  unnecessary.  Admitting  all  that  you  have  said 
regarding  the  means  employed  by  him,  would  it  not  be 
much  more  reasonable  to  suppose  that  he  would  attempt  to 
bring  his  man  to  terms  either  through  a  personal  interview 
or  by  bringing  suit  against  him,  rather  than  by  resorting 
to  brutal  crime  ?' ' 

"And  supposing  he  did  have  a  personal  interview  for 
the  purpose  of  setting  forth  his  claims,  do  you  think  that 
Hugh  Mainwaring  would  be  bamboozled  by  any  of  his 
cheap  trickery  ?  No,  sir,  not  for  one  moment.  He  would 
simply  pronounce  the  whole  thing  a  sham.  Well,  sir,  if 
you  will  recall  some  of  the  testimony  at  the  inquest,  you 

262 


SECESSION   IN  THE   RANKS 

will  see  that  is  precisely  what  occurred.  Hugh  Main- 
waring,  within  twenty  or  thirty  minutes  preceding  his 
death,  was  heard  to  denounce  some  one  as  a  '  liar'  and  an 
'  impostor.'  An  '  impostor,'  mark  you  !  Very  applicable 
to  the  case  we  are  now  supposing.  And  in  the  alterca 
tion  which  followed,  the  other  party  called  him  a  '  thief, ' 
and  made  some  allusion — I  do  not  recall  the  exact  words — 
to  his  being  '  transported  to  the  wilds  of  Australia. '  Now, 
sir,  there  is  no  doubt  in  the  mind  of  any  sane  man  that 
those  words  were  spoken  by  the  murderer  of  Hugh  Main- 
waring,  and  I  think  now  we  have  a  pretty  good  clue  to  his 
identity. ' ' 

' '  But  the  young  man  stated  emphatically  this  morning 
that  he  made  no  mention  of  the  will  to  Hugh  Main- 
waring.  ' ' 

"To  the  devil  with  his  statements  !  There  is  evidence 
enough  against  him  that  he  will  be  ruined  when  I  get 
through  with  him.  He  has  dared  to  try  to  thwart  me  in 
the  plans  of  a  lifetime,  and  I'll  make  it  the  worst  piece 
of  business  he  ever  undertook.  Understand,  I  want  you 
to  institute  proceedings  against  him  at  once  !" 

"Governor,"  said  young  Mainwaring,  quietly,  before 
Mr.  Whitney  could  respond  to  this  tirade,  "in  whose 
name  will  these  proceedings  be  instituted,  yours  or  mine  ?' ' 

"Well,"  replied  his  father,  with  a  sneer,  "I  don't 
know  that  it  makes  any  particular  difference  to  you  in 
whose  name  it  is  done,  so  long  as  it  is  for  your  benefit. ' ' 

"Begging  your  pardon,  sir,  I  believe  it  does  make  con 
siderable  difference.  And  I  will  say  right  here  that  I  will 
have  no  proceedings  entered,  either  in  my  name  or  for  my 
benefit,  for  two  reasons  :  first,  Harold  Scott  Mainwaring 
is  no  impostor ;  we  had  abundant  proof  to-day  that,  under 
the  terms  of  that  will,  he  is  the  sole  claimant  to  the  prop 
erty  ;  and  second,  you  know,  sir,  as  well  as  I,  that  years 

263 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

ago,  your  own  servant,  John  Wilson,  told  you  that  such 
a  will  had  existed,  and  there  is  every  ground  for  believing 
that  this  document  is  genuine.  I  just  begin  to  understand 
your  little  game,  governor,  and,  by  Jove  !  I  will  not  be  a 
party  to  it. ' ' 

Up  to  this  point,  astonishment  at  his  son's  audacity 
seemed  to  have  bereft  Ralph  Mainwaring  of  the  power  of 
speech,  but  now  he  demanded  in  thunderous  tones,  while 
his  face  grew  purple  with  rage,  "  What  do  you  mean,  sir, 
by  daring  to  address  such  language  to  me  ?  You  impudent 
upstart  !  let  me  tell  you  that  you  had  best  attend  to  your 
own  business  ! ' ' 

"This  is  the  second  time  you  have  told  me  that  to 
day,  ' '  said  the  young  man,  calmly,  though  the  hot  blood 
was  fast  rising ;  "allow  me  to  inform  you,  governor,  with 
all  due  respect,  that  henceforth  I  will  attend  to  my  own 
business,  and  will  not  trouble  you  to  attend  to  it  for  me. 
If  you  had  any  just  or  tenable  grounds  for  the  proceedings 
you  are  about  to  institute,  I  would  have  nothing  to  say ; 
but,  begging  your  pardon,  you  have  none  whatever ;  it  is 
simply  a  piece  of  dirty  work  with  which  I  will  have  noth 
ing  to  do." 

' '  You  ungrateful  dog  !  This  is  your  return  for  my  care 
and  forethought  for  you,  is  it  ?  Do  you  retract  every  word 
which  you  have  said,  or  I'll  cut  you  off  without  a  penny," 
and  with  a  fearful  oath  he  swung  himself  around  in  his 
chair  with  such  violence  as  to  overturn  the  small  onyx 
table  upon  which  the  cigars  were  standing,  shattering  it 
to  fragments. 

The  young  man  paused  directly  in  front  of  his  father. 
"I  retract  nothing,"  he  said,  quietly  but  firmly.  "You 
are  at  liberty  to'follow  the  example  of  old  Ralph  Maxwell 
Mainwaring  if  you  wish,  but  you  may  regret  it  later,  as  he 
did." 

264 


SECESSION   IN   THE   RANKS 

"And  do  you  think  Edith  Thorn  ton  will  marry  a  penni 
less  beggar,  a  pauper?  Or  do  you  propose  to  live  upon 
her  fortune  ?' ' 

"No;  I  will  not  touch  a  penny  of  her  fortune,"  he 
replied,  his  cheek  flushing  ;  ' '  and  I  am  not  quite  a  pauper, 
for  I  have  the  money  left  me  by  Uncle  Tom  years  ago ; 
and  if  Edith  is  the  girl  to  be  turned  from  me  under 
the  circumstances,  why,  the  sooner  I  find  it  out  the 
better." 

' '  A  paltry  twenty  thousand  pounds  !  a  fine  fortune  ! ' ' 
sneered  his  father,  ignoring  his  last  remark. 

"  Many  a  fortune  has  been  made  from  a  much  smaller 
start ;  but  it  is  useless  to  waste  words  further.  You  under 
stand  my  position,  and  that  is  enough.  Mr.  Whitney," 
he  continued,  addressing  the  attorney,  ' '  according  to  the 
terms  of  Hugh  Mainwaring's  will,  I,  and  not  my  father, 
am  heir  to  the  property,  and  therefore  the  one  to  con 
test  the  claim  of  Harold  Mainwaring  if  it  is  contested 
at  all.  I  wish  to  state  to  you  here  and  now,  distinctly, 
that  I  will  not  contest  the  case,  nor  will  I  authorize  any 
one  to  do  so  for  me  ;  and  now,  gentlemen,  I  bid  you 
both  good-evening  !"  and  he  quietly  left  the  room. 

"  Zounds  !"  exclaimed  the  elder  man,  as  the  door  closed 
upon  his  son,  "I  didn't  suppose  the  boy  had  so  much 
spirit !  I've  often  wished  he  and  Isabel  could  change 
places,  because  she  was  so  much  more  like  myself,  and 
what  I  would  like  a  son  to  be. ' ' 

"He  has  the  Mainwaring  blood  all  right,"  replied  the 
attorney,  with  more  inward  admiration  for  the  young  man 
than  he  dared  to  express. 

' '  Not  if  he  will  throw  away  a  fortune  in  this  manner ; 
it  is  probably  some  boyish  whim,  however,  and  the  young 
fool  will  look  at  it  in  a  different  light  to-morrow." 

"I  think  not,  Mr.  Mainwaring,"  said  the  attorney, 
265 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

quietly;  "he  is  enough  like  Hugh  Mainwaring,  and  like 
yourself,  that  when  he  decides  upon  a  certain  line  of  ac 
tion,  he  will  not  be  easily  turned  aside.  You  may  rest 
assured  that  he  will  have  nothing  whatever  to  do  with  this 
contest,  and  that  if  you  wish  to  carry  on  the  fight,  you  will 
have  to  do  so  under  your  own  colors. ' ' 

"I'll  do  it,  too,"  he  replied,  fiercely  ;  "I'll  enter  pro 
ceedings  in  my  own  name,  as  the  nearest  heir  after  Hugh 
Mainwaring. ' ' 

"  In  that  case,  your  brother  must  be  notified,  as  he  will 
be  entitled  to  share  the  estate  with  you ;  that  may  cause 
us  some  little  delay,  but ' ' 

' '  Curse  it  all ! "  the  other  interrupted,  angrily ;  "I  had 
not  thought  of  that ;  he  will  have  to  come  in  for  a  share ; 
confound  that  boy's  foolishness  !  I'll  get  hold  of  him  to 
morrow  morning  and  see  if  I  cannot  talk  some  reason  into 
him,"  and  Ralph  Mainwaring  relapsed  into  sullen  silence. 
It  was  a  new  experience  for  him  to  meet  with  opposition  in 
his  own  family,  least  of  all  from  his  son,  and  he  felt  the 
first  step  must  be  to  quell  it,  though  decidedly  at  loss  just 
how  to  proceed. 

A  little  later,  Mr.  Whitney,  finding  his  client  disinclined 
to  further  conversation,  after  making  an  appointment  for 
the  next  morning,  excused  himself  and  took  his  departure 
for  his  own  apartments  at  the  club. 

As  he  passed  down  the  stairway  into  the  spacious  hall, 
what  was  his  surprise  to  see  Mr.  Merrick  comfortably  en 
sconced  in  a  large  leather  chair,  reading  the  evening  papers. 

The  two  men  shook  hands  warmly,  and  together  passed 
out  into  the  cool,  starlit  night. 

' '  When  did  you  arrive,  Merrick  ?  and  from  what  point 
of  the  compass  ?' '  inquired  the  attorney. 

"Got  in  on  the  9.30  train,"  the  detective  replied, 
seeming  not  to  have  heard  the  second  question  ;  "  learned 

266 


SECESSION   IN   THE   RANKS 

you  were  at  Mainwaring's,  so  I  stopped  in,  but  told  the 
butler  not  to  disturb  you,  as  I  was  in  no  hurry." 

' '  I  noticed  you  were  looking  over  the  evening  papers, 
did  you  read  the  account  of  this  morning's  proceedings  in 
court  ?' ' 

"I  did." 

"  What  do  you  think  of  them  ?" 

"  I  am  not  in  the  least  surprised." 

' '  Not  surprised  ! ' '  echoed  the  attorney.  ' '  Do  you  mean 
to  say  that  the  reappearance  of  the  missing  secretary  as  the 
heir  to  the  Mainwaring  estate  is  no  surprise  to  you?" 

' '  None  whatever, ' '  Merrick  replied,  with  the  most  ex 
asperating  coolness,  adding,  as  he  noted  the  other's  in 
credulous  smile,  ' '  you  may  recall  a  hint  given  you  at  Fair 
Oaks,  one  evening,  of  the  possible  existence  of  claimants, 
perhaps  not  far  distant,  whose  rights  superseded  those  of 
Hugh  Mainwaring  himself. ' ' 

Mr.  Whitney  started  involuntarily  as  the  detective's 
words  of  a  few  weeks  before  were  thus  recalled,  then 
looking  his  companion  squarely  in  the  face,  he  exclaimed, 
half  playfully,  half  indignantly,  "I  don't  suppose  you 
will  go  so  far  as  to  claim  any  familiarity  with  that  old 
will  which  has  just  been  resurrected." 

' '  Well, ' '  said  Merrick,  deliberately  stopping  to  relight 
his  cigar,  ' '  I  was  aware  that  there  was  such  a  will  in  ex 
istence,  or  at  least  that  it  had  existed  up  to  the  time  of 
Hugh  Mainwaring's  death,  and  I  supposed  all  along  that  it 
was  in  the  possession  of  Harold  Scott  Mainwaring,  other 
wise  known  as  Harry  Scott,  secretary. ' ' 

' '  By  George  !  when  and  how  did  you  get  hold  of  all 
this  ?' '  questioned  the  attorney,  in  a  tone  of  bewilderment. 

"I  was  pretty  well  conversant  with  the  facts  in  the  case 
a  few  days  before  the  young  man  took  passage  for  England, 
in  the  '  Campania.'  " 

267 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

"The  '  Campania  !'  Heavens  and  earth,  man  !  Do  you 
mean  to  say  that  he  went  over  on  the  same  boat  with  Miss 
— with  the  ladies  from  Fair  Oaks  ?' ' 

"Certainly;  and  I  don't  think,"  Merrick  continued, 
watching  the  attorney  shrewdly,  ' '  that  Miss — the  ladies 
from  Fair  Oaks — objected  to  him  as  a  fellow-traveller, 
either." 

Mr.  Whitney  changed  the  subject.  "Then  you  know 
that  will  to  be  genuine,  do  you  ?' ' 

"  H'm  !  am  I  on  the  witness  stand  ?' ' 

' '  No ;  but  I  think  I  ought  to  subpoena  you  to  keep  the 
other  side  from  getting  your  testimony ;  you  might  make 
a  troublesome  witness  against  us. ' ' 

"  My  testimony  might  be  worth  much  or  little;  I  am 
not  giving  it  to  either  side  at  present." 

"  Well,  I  would  not  have  it  go  out,  of  course  ;  but  for  my 
part,  I  am  inclined  to  believe  not  only  that  the  will  is 
genuine,  but  also  that  Ralph  Mainwaring  knows  that  it  is." 

"  He  will  fight  it  all  the  same." 

"Yes,  but  on  rather  different  grounds  from  what  he  first 
anticipated,"  and  Mr.  Whitney  gave  Merrick  an  account 
of  young  Mainwaring's  defection.  "  In  my  private  opin 
ion,"  concluded  the  attorney,  "Ralph  Mainwaring  is  a 
fool,  for  he  has  got  a  pretty  hard  combination  to  go 
against;  they've  evidently  got  a  strong  case,  splendid  legal 
talent,  and  plenty  of  money  to  back  it  all.  However,  I'm 
making  a  good  thing  out  of  it. ' ' 

"Yes,"  said  Merrick,  enigmatically,  "Barton  &  Barton 
are  undoubtedly  men  of  great  ability  in  their  profession, 
but  that  'clerk'  of  theirs  who  has  come  over  with  the 
party,"  with  peculiar  emphasis,  "is  the  smartest  man  in 
the  whole  crowd  ! ' ' 

"  The  clerk  !  why  I  thought  he  seemed  rather  an  insig 
nificant  sort  of  a  fellow ;  what  do  you  know  about  him  ?' ' 

268 


SECESSION   IN   THE   RANKS 

For  reply  the  detective  only  gave  a  short,  unpleasant 
laugh,  and,  touching  his  cap,  turned  abruptly  down  another 
street. 

"  Hold  on  !"  cried  the  attorney  ;  "  you  haven't  told  me 
anything  about  yourself  yet.  What  have  you  been  doing? 
and  how  long  are  you  going  to  be  in  town  ?" 

' '  A  day  or  two,  perhaps,  possibly  a  week ;  I  cannot 
say." 

"  How  are  you  getting  on  ?" 

But  the  detective  was  lost  in  thought  and  apparently 
did  not  hear  the  question.  "I  suppose  you  read  of  the 
arrest  of  Brown,  the  coachman  ?' '  he  remarked,  ab 
stractedly,  after  a  moment's  silence. 

"The  coachman?  No!  you  don't  say  that  he  was 
really  concerned  in  that  affair  ?' '  the  attorney  exclaimed, 
excitedly. 

"  What  affair,  the  Mainwaring  murder?  I  don't  know 
that  I  have  said  that  he  was  concerned  in  that,"  Mer- 
rick  answered,  suddenly  coming  to  himself  and  evidently 
enjoying  the  attorney's  expression  of  blank  perplexity; 
' '  he  was  mixed  up  in  a  shooting  affair,  however,  which 
occurred  about  that  time,  and  by  holding  him  in  custody 
we  hope  to  get  on  to  the  principals.  Oh,"  he  added, 
carelessly,  anticipating  another  inquiry  from  Mr.  Whit 
ney,  "I'm  getting  there  all  right,  if  that  is  what  you 
want  to  know ;  but  I  won' t  have  somebody  else  dogging 
my  tracks  and  then  claiming  the  game  by  and  by." 

"  Man  alive  !  what  in  the  dickens  are  you  driving  at  ? 
You  are  in  one  of  your  moods  to-night. ' ' 

"Perhaps  so,"  Merrick  replied,  indifferently,  then 
added  quickly,  "There  is  a  sensation  of  some  sort  in 
there  ;  see  the  crowd  of  reporters  ! ' ' 

They  were  standing  on  a  street  corner,  near  a  large 
hotel,  and  glancing  through  the  windows  in  the  direction 

260 


THAT    MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

indicated  by  the  detective,  Mr.  Whitney  saw,  as  he  had 
said,  a  crowd  of  reporters  in  the  office  and  lobbies,  some 
writing,  some  talking  excitedly,  and  others  coming  and 
going.  Just  then  one  who  was  leaving  the  building  passed 
them,  and  Merrick  stopped  him. 

"  What  is  going  on ?     What's  the  excitement?" 
"Suicide!"  the  young  man  replied,  hastily.       "That 
woman  who  was    mixed  up  in    the  Mainwaring  case  has 
suicided  by  poison. ' ' 

The   attorney   and    the   detective    exchanged    startled 
glances,  then  both  entered  the  hotel. 


270 


CHAPTER    XXIII 

FLOTSAM    AND   JETSAM 

AN  hour  later,  the  attorney  and  the  detective  reappeared, 
and,  threading  their  way  through  the  crowd  still  lingering 
about  the  hotel,  walked  rapidly  down  the  street,  arm  in 
arm,  conversing  in  low  tones. 

' '  A  case  of  suicide  undoubtedly, ' '  said  the  attorney, 
"and  scarcely  to  be  wondered  at,  taking  all  the  circum 
stances  into  consideration.  Do  you  know,  I  am  now  more 
than  ever  inclined  to  the  belief  that  she  was  in  some  way 
connected  with  Hugh  Mainwaring's  death,  and  that,  after 
such  a  revelation  of  her  character  as  was  made  in  court  this 
morning,  she  feared  further  disclosures.' 

Mr.  Whitney  glanced  at  his  companion,  but  the  latter 
seemed  engrossed  with  his  own  thoughts  and  made  no  reply. 

"  I  never  was  so  completely  floored  in  my  life,"  the  at 
torney  continued,  ' '  as  when  it  came  out  that  Harold  Main- 
waring  was  her  son  ;  and  I  yet  fail  to  see  the  necessity  for 
introducing  that  feature  into  the  testimony.  I  should  have 
thought  that  would  have  been  passed  over  in  silence. ' ' 

"As  near  as  I  can  judge  from  reading  of  the  case," 
Merrick  replied,  ' '  it  seems  to  have  been  done  with  a  pur 
pose.  His  attorneys  were  leading  up  to  that  very  point  in 
such  a  manner  that,  when  the  climax  was  reached,  she 
would  involuntarily  betray  herself — as  she  did — thus  con 
firming  in  the  strongest  manner  the  testimony  already 
given." 

' '  I  believe  you  may  be  right, ' '  said  the  attorney,  mus 
ingly,  ' '  though  it  had  not  occurred  to  me. ' ' 

After  a  short  pause,  Merrick  continued  :  ' '  When  I  was 
271 


first  called  to  Fair  Oaks,  I  suspected  some  relationship  be 
tween  that  woman  and  the  secretary,  as  he  was  then  called  ; 
there  was  a  marked  resemblance  between  them  ;  both  had 
the  same  peculiar  olive  skin,  while  their  features  and  car 
riage  were  almost  identical." 

11  Yes,  I  recall  your  mentioning  the  likeness  to  me,  and 
at  the  same  time  I  was  puzzled  by  the  resemblance  between 
him  and  Hugh  Mainwaring.  Well,  I  always  said  he  was  a 
mystery,  and  no  wonder  ! ' ' 

They  had  reached  the  club-house  by  this  time,  and,  as 
Merrick  declined  Mr.  Whitney's  invitation  to  enter,  both 
men  remained  outside  for  a  few  moments.  Once  again, 
the  attorney  endeavored  to  sound  the  detective  regarding 
his  work  and  the  progress  he  was  making,  but  the  latter 
suddenly  became  strangely  uncommunicative. 

"  My  client  is  going  to  charge  Harold  Mainwaring  with 
the  murder,"  said  the  attorney  at  last. 

Merrick  laughed  scornfully,  and  for  the  second  time  that 
evening  wheeled  abruptly  and  turned  down  a  side  street, 
leaving  Mr.  Whitney  standing  upon  the  club-house  steps, 
watching  the  rapidly  retreating  figure  with  mingled  vexa 
tion  and  amusement. 

"Something  has  upset  Merrick,"  he  soliloquized,  as  he 
finally  turned  towards  the  entrance  ;  "  who  can  he  imagine 
is  '  dogging'  his  tracks,  as  he  terms  it  ?  These  detectives 
seem  about  as  jealous  of  their  reputation  as  we  lawyers  are 
supposed  to  be.  Ralph  Mainwaring  is  going  to  engage 
'  the  best  legal  talent  that  money  can  get !'  H'm  !  when 
he  comes  to  settle,  he  may  find  that  my  '  legal  talent'  will 
come  just  as  high  as  the  best  of  them." 

Could  Mr.  Whitney  have  been  present  at  a  conference 
held  that  evening  in  one  of  the  private  parlors  of  the  Wal 
dorf,  he  might  have  had  a  better  understanding  of  the  cause 
of  Merrick' s  perturbation. 

272 


FLOTSAM  AND  JETSAM 

Immediately  upon  returning  to  the  hotel,  Harold  Main- 
waring  had  communicated  to  the  English  attorney  and  to 
Mr.  Scott  the  particulars  of  his  interview  with  Mrs.  La- 
Grange.  Mr.  Scott  at  once  expressed  his  satisfaction  at 
the  outcome,  in  that  she  had  rejected  all  offers  of  assistance 
except  upon  her  own  terms. 

"That  is  best,  that  is  best  just  as  it  is,"  he  said,  em 
phatically;  "you  do  not  want  to  be  hampered  with  any 
obligations  she  might  impose  upon  you,  and  as  for  ever 
recognizing  or  acknowledging  any  relationship,  it  is  not  to 
be  thought  of  for  one  moment.  Your  course  was  right, 
perfectly  right.  But  what  was  the  statement  of  such  im 
portance  which  she  was  to  make?" 

"That  is  just  what  lam  coming  to,"  the  young  man 
replied  ;  and  drawing  his  chair  closer  to  those  of  his  com 
panions,  he  repeated  in  low  tones  the  secret  intrusted  to  him 
by  Mrs.  LaGrange.  The  faces  of  the  two  men  were  a 
study  as  he  ended  his  recital. 

"Are  you  confident  that  she  spoke  the  truth?"  ques 
tioned  Mr.  Barton,  eagerly. 

' '  I  am  positive  that  she  did ;  she  seemed  like  one 
terror-stricken,  and  said  that  the  horror  of  it  had  haunted 
her  day  and  night. ' ' 

"There  could  be  no  reason  in  this  instance  for  doubting 
her,"  commented  Mr.  Scott,  thoughtfully;  "she  would 
have  no  motive  for  making  such  a  statement  if  it  were  not 
true." 

"  My  dear  Mainwaring  !"  exclaimed  the  attorney,  "it  is 
what  I  have  suspected  ever  since  you  gave  me  the  details 
of  the  affair ;  you  remember  what  I  told  you  before  we 
left  London!" 

"  Certainly  ;  but  it  seemed  to  me  then  too  improbable." 

' '  The  improbable  is,  sometimes,  what  we  must  look  for 
in  cases  like  this,"  he  replied;  "  McCabe  should  be  put 

18  273 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

on  to  this  immediately,  and  we  must  call  Sutherland.     I  will 
summon  him,  myself,  at  once,"  and  he  left  the  room. 

The  foster-father  and  son,  left  for  a  few  moments  to 
themselves,  had  little  to  say,  but  sat  looking  into  each 
other's  faces  with  eyes  full  of  meaning,  each  understanding 
what  was  in  the  other's  heart.  At  last,  as  they  heard  re 
turning  footsteps,  the  elder  man  spoke, — 

' '  It  was  a  good  thing  you  went  there,  my  boy ;  come 
what  may,  you  will  never  regret  it." 

"  Never  !"  the  other  replied  with  emphasis. 

It  seemed  but  a  few  moments  ere  hurried  steps  were 
heard  along  the  corridor,  followed  by  a  light,  familiar 
knock,  and  Mr.  Sutherland  entered. 

"I  recognized  your  voice  at  the  'phone,  Mr.  Barton," 
said  the  attorney,  after  greetings  had  been  exchanged, 
"and  something  in  its  tone,  aside  from  the  general  import 
of  your  message,  led  me  to  believe  that  the  call  was  of 
special  importance,  therefore  I  lost  no  time  in  coming  here. ' ' 

"  You  were  correct,"  replied  the  English  barrister  ;  "we 
have  made  a  most  important  discovery,  bearing  not  only 
upon  the  case  in  hand,  but  also  upon  the  Mainwaring 
murder  case. ' ' 

"Ah — h  !"  responded  the  attorney  with  evident  in 
terest  ;  then  drawing  his  chair  near  the  group  seated  about 
the  open  fire,  he  asked,  with  a  swift  glance  about  the  room, 
"But  where  is  your  'clerk,'  Mr.  Barton?  Should  he  not 
be  present?" 

"My  'clerk  !'  "  replied  Mr.  Barton,  with  peculiar  em 
phasis,  and  plainly  appreciating  the  humor  of  the  inquiry ; 
"my  'clerk'  is,  I  believe,  at  present  engaged  in  most  as 
siduously  cultivating  the  acquaintance  of  Ralph  Mainwar 
ing' s  coachman." 

Then,  as  Mr.  Sutherland  elevated  his  eyebrows  in  mute 
inquiry,  he  continued, — 

274 


FLOTSAM   AND   JETSAM 

"  The  coachman,  I  have  understood,  is  a  recent  acqui 
sition,  taken,  I  believe,  upon  the  recommendation  of  this 
Merrick ;  and  while  he  seems  eminently  satisfactory  as  a 
coachman,  I  have  my  doubts  as  to  whether  he  will  prove 
quite  so  satisfactory  to  his  superior  officer  upon  his 
return." 

' '  Ah,  I  see  ! ' '  ejaculated  the  other ;  "  he  is  what  might 
be  denominated  a  'sub.'  ' 

' '  Yes ;  and  so  exceedingly  verdant  that  McCabe  thought 
it  worth  while  to  make  his  acquaintance.  But  now  to 
present  business  ! ' ' 

Again  the  strange  story  was  repeated,  Mr.  Sutherland 
listening  with  grave  attention,  which  deepened  as  the  re 
cital  proceeded,  until,  at  its  completion,  he  could  scarcely 
restrain  his  enthusiasm  ;  exultation  was  plainly  written  on 
his  face,  but  there  was  a  peculiar  gentleness  in  his  manner 
as  he  first  approached  his  young  client,  saying  in  a  low 
tone,  as  he  cordially  grasped  his  hand, — 

' '  I  realize,  Mr.  Mainwaring,  all  that  this  means  to  you, 
and  I  am  sure  you  will  understand  me  when  I  say  that  I 
congratulate  you." 

Harold  Mainwaring  bowed  silently,  and  Mr.  Sutherland, 
turning  towards  the  English  barrister,  exclaimed,  "This 
explains  everything  !  This  will  make  our  case  absolutely 
incontrovertible ;  but,  first,  we  must  secure  that  man  at  all 
hazards  and  at  any  cost  just  as  quickly  as  possible ;  think 
what  a  witness  he  will  make  ! ' ' 

"Just  what  I  had  in  mind"  was  the  response,  "and 
McCabe  is  the  man  to  locate  him  if  he  is  upon  the  face  of 
the  earth.  But  we  must  decide  immediately  upon  our  own 
course  of  action,  for  this  will  necessitate  certain  changes  in 
our  plans,  and  we  must  act  at  once,  and,  at  the  same  time, 
with  the  utmost  caution  and  secrecy." 

Dinner  was  ordered  and  served  in  the  privacy  of  their 
275 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

own  apartments  that  they  might  be  entirely  free  from  in 
trusion  or  interruptions  during  their  deliberations,  and  it 
was  at  a  late  hour  when,  their  consultation  ended,  they 
gathered  about  the  open  fire  with  their  cigars,  awaiting, 
with  much  self-congratulation  and  cheerful  talk,  the  return 
of  the  absent  McCabe. 

"  Confound  it !"  exclaimed  Mr.  Barton,  presently,  glanc 
ing  at  his  watch;  ''what  in  the  deuce  is  keeping  that 
fellow  so  late  ?  If  we  had  not  especially  wanted  him,  he 
would  have  been  here  two  hours  ago." 

"Perhaps,"  suggested  Mr.  Sutherland,  "he  may  have 
found  the  coachman  more  communicative  than  he  antici 
pated." 

"He  has  doubtless  struck  some  clue  which  he  is  follow 
ing,  ' '  was  the  reply ;  but  at  that  instant  there  was  a  light 
tap  at  the  door,  and  the  man  generally  known  as  the 
English  barrister's  "clerk"  entered. 

"Well,  Mac,"  said  Mr.  Barton,  cheerfully,  "  'speak  of 
the  devil' — you  know  what  follows !  What  luck  to 
night  ?' ' 

"Very  fair,  sir,"  said  the  man,  quietly  taking  in  the 
situation  at  a  glance,  as  he  noted  the  eager,  expectant  faces 
of  the  four  men,  and,  dropping  into  a  chair  near  the  group, 
he  instantly  assumed  an  attitude  of  close  attention. 

Ordinarily,  McCabe  was,  as  Mr.  Whitney  had  remarked, 
rather  an  insignificant  looking  man.  He  was  below  medium 
stature  and  somewhat  dull  in  appearance,  owing  to  the  fact 
that  he  seemed  to  take  little  interest  in  his  surroundings, 
while  his  face,  when  his  eyes  were  concealed,  as  was  gener 
ally  the  case,  by  the  heavily  drooping  lids  and  long  eye 
lashes,  was  absolutely  expressionless.  When,  however,  he 
raised  his  eyes  and  fixed  them  upon  any  one,  the  effect  was 
much  the  same  as  though  a  search-light  suddenly  flashed  in 
one's  face ;  but  this  was  only  upon  rare  occasions,  and  few 

276 


FLOTSAM   AND   JETSAM 

casual  observers  would  dream  of  the  keen  perceptive  facul 
ties  hidden  beneath  that  quiet  exterior. 

' '  Tell  us  your  story  first,  Mac, ' '  said  Mr.  Barton,  after 
a  moment's  silence,  thoroughly  understanding  his  man, 
' '  ours  will  keep  for  a  little  bit. ' ' 

"There's  not  much  to  tell,  sir." 

"  How  are  you  and  the  coachman  coming  on?" 

"We'll  not  be  very  intimate  after  to-night,  I'm  think 
ing." 

' '  How  is  that  ?' '  questioned  the  attorney,  at  the  same 
time  smiling  broadly  at  his  companions. 

"Well,  sir,  there'll  be  no  call  for  it,  for  one  thing,  as 
I've  got  all  the  points  in  the  case  I  wanted ;  and  for 
another,  his  chief  returned  this  evening,  and,  from  the  few 
words  I  overheard  upon  his  arrival,  I  don't  think  the 
coachman  will  feel  over-confidential  the  next  time  he  sees 
me, ' '  and  McCabe  smiled  grimly  to  himself. 

"So  Merrick  is  back!"  interposed  Mr.  Sutherland, 
laughing.  ' '  Did  you  and  he  meet  ?' ' 

"Meet,  sir?  Ah,  no,  not  much  o'  that!  I  heard  a 
step  coming  up  the  stairs,  and  as  I  thought  the  room  was 
hardly  big  enough  for  three,  I  excused  myself  to  Mr.  Jim 
Mathieson — alias  Matthews,  the  coachman — and  made  for 
the  hall.  We  passed  each  other  at  the  head  of  the  stairs, 
and  I  cluttered  down,  making  as  much  racket  as  I  could ; 
then  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs  I  took  off  my  boots  and  crept 
upstairs  again,  more  to  hear  the  fellow's  voice  than  any 
thing  else,  so  I  could  recognize  him  afterwards. ' ' 

' '  What  did  you  hear  ?' '  inquired  Mr.  Barton,  as  McCabe 
paused  to  light  a  cigar  which  Mr.  Sutherland  had  handed 
him. 

' '  I  heard  him  say,  '  Who  was  that  I  passed  outside, 
Jim?'  <  Only  a  cross-country  friend  of  mine,'  says  Jim. 
'  What  friends  are  you  entertaining  here  in  these  quarters?' 

277 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

says  he,  kind  o'  sharp  like.  '  An'  sure, '  says  Jim,  '  it  was 
only  Dan  McCoy,  the  clerk  of  the  big  London  lawyer  who 
has  come  over  with  the  young  Mr.  Mainwaring  I've  heard 
you  speak  of,  and  a  right  clever  fellow  he  is,  too!'  '  Clerk!' 
he  roars  out,  'clerk,  you  blithering  idiot!  he's  no  more 
clerk  than  you  are  coachman,  nor  half  so  much,  for  you're 
fit  for  nothing  but  to  take  care  of  horses  all  your  days  ! 
Do  you  want  to  know,'  says  he,  '  who  you've  been  enter 
taining?  That's  no  more  nor  less  than  Dan  McCabe,  a 
Scotland  Yard  man  they've  brought  over,  nobody  knows 
what  for,  but  whatever  his  game,  he's  made  you  play  into 
his  hand!'  I  didn't  stay  to  hear  more,"  McCabe  con 
cluded,  ' '  I  got  out. ' ' 

"But  how  does  this  Merrick  know  you?"  Mr.  Barton 
inquired,  as  the  laughter  caused  by  McCabe' s  recital  sub 
sided. 

"  He  doesn't  know  me,  he  only  knows  of  me,"  the  man 
replied.  "  I  found  that  out  an  hour  or  two  later,  when  I 
met  him  in  a  crowd  at  the  Wellington  Hotel ;"  the  speaker 
glanced  curiously  in  the  direction  of  Harold  Mainwaring 
for  an  instant,  and  then  continued,  ' '  I  knew  him  by  his 
voice,  but  I  spoke  with  him,  and  he  had  no  idea  who  I 
was. ' ' 

"But  how  has  he  heard  of  you?"  persisted  Mr.  Barton. 

"There  was  an  American  detective — a  friend  of  his — 
who  came  over  on  the  '  Campania'  on  the  same  trip  with  Mr. 
Mainwaring.  He  was  following  up  a  case  in  London,  but 
he  managed  to  keep  his  eye  on  Mr.  Mainwaring  and  kept 
this  Merrick  posted  of  all  that  he  was  doing.  It  was  be 
cause  of  some  remarks  of  his  that  I  got  wind  of,  that  I 
determined  from  the  first  to  get  onto  his  game." 

"Well,  Mac,"  said  Mr.  Barton,  tentatively,  "are  you 
ready  to  go  to  work  now  ?' ' 

The  keen  eyes  flashed  for  an  instant  in  the  attorney's 
278 


FLOTSAM   AND   JETSAM 

face,  then  the  man  answered  quietly,  "If  you've  nothing 
to  tell  me,  I'm  ready  to  go  to  work  on  my  own  hook  and 
in  my  own  way;  if  you've  anything  to  say,  I'll  hear  it." 

Mr.  Barton  glanced  at  the  others.  ' '  We  had  better  tell 
McCabe  what  we  have  learned,  and  also  just  what  our 
plans  are. ' ' 

The  others  bowed  in  assent,  and  the  chairs  were  drawn 
closer  together  while  Mr.  Barton,  in  low  tones,  told,  as 
briefly  and  clearly  as  possible,  the  discovery  which  they 
had  made.  McCabe  listened  to  the  attorney's  story,  but 
whether  or  not  the  secret  were  already  guessed  by  him, 
his  face  gave  no  sign.  When  it  was  ended  he  glanced 
curiously  at  Harold  Mainwaring. 

"Mrs.  LaG range  told  you  this?" 

"She  did." 

"At  what  time,  if  you  please,  sir?" 

"At  about  half-past  five." 

"  Are  you  aware,  sir,  that,  with  the  exception  of  her 
maid,  you  are  probably  the  last  person  who  saw  Mrs. 
LaGrange  living?" 

"Saw  her  living!"  Harold  Mainwaring  repeated,  as 
tonished,  while  Mr.  Barton  demanded,  ' '  What  do  you 
mean,  Mac?" 

"I  mean,  sir,"  said  McCabe,  slowly,  "that  Mrs.  La- 
Grange  committed  suicide  at  about  seven  o'clock  this 
evening,  less  than  two  hours  after  Mr.  Mainwaring  saw 
her." 

"When  did  you  learn  of  this?  What  do  you  know  of 
the  affair?"  questioned  the  attorneys  quickly,  while  Harold 
Mainwaring,  more  deeply  shocked  than  he  would  have 
thought  possible,  listened  to  the  man's  reply. 

' '  I  happened  along  by  the  Wellington  about  two  hours 
ago,  and  saw  considerable  stir  around  there.  I  learned 
'twas  a  case  of  suicide,  but  thought  nothing  of  it  till  I 

279 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

heard  the  woman's  name,  then  I  dropped  in  and  picked  up 
the  facts  in  the  case,"  and  he  proceeded  to  relate  the  de 
tails  of  the  affair. 

As  Harold  Mainwaring  listened,  he  recalled  the  looks 
and  words  of  the  wretched  woman,  her  genuine  misery, 
her  falsehood  and  deceit,  her  piteous  pleadings,  and  the 
final  rage  and  scorn  with  which  she  had  rejected  his  assist 
ance  even  in  the  face  of  such  desperation  and  despair ;  and 
a  sickening  sense  of  horror  stole  over  him,  rendering  him 
almost  oblivious  to  the  conversation  around  him. 

"  'Twas  there  I  saw  this  man  Merrick,"  McCabe  was 
saying  in  conclusion.  "  I  heard  him  questioning  the  maid 
about  Mr.  Mainwaring' s  interview  with  the  woman;  he 
evidently  was  onto  that.  I  saw  the  girl  myself  shortly 
afterwards  and  gave  her  a  hint  and  a  bit  of  money  to  keep 
her  mouth  shut  about  Mr.  Mainwaring.  She  seemed 
pretty  bright,  and  I  think  she  will  understand  her  busi 
ness.  ' ' 

"  Confound  that  meddlesome  Yankee !  what  was  he 
prowling  around  there  for?"  interrupted  Mr.  Scott,  angrily. 
"  He  has  no  business  prying  into  Harold  Scott  Mainwaring' s 
affairs,  and  I'll  have  him  understand  it ;  let  him  attend  to 
his  own  duties,  and  I  think,  from  all  reports,  he  will  have 
his  hands  more  than  full  then.  Mr.  Sutherland,"  he  con 
tinued,  addressing  the  attorney,  ''there's  no  knowing  what 
that  beastly  bungler  who  calls  himself  a  detective  will  do 
next ;  this  thing  is  likely  to  be  out  in  the  morning  papers 
with  the  boy's  name  mixed  up  in  it,  and  it  must  be  stopped 
right  here.  His  name  must  be  kept  out  of  this  at  any 
price,  and  you  probably  can  reach  the  New  York  press 
better  than  any  one  of  us." 

"You  are  right,"  said  Mr.  Sutherland,  rising  hastily 
and  preparing  to  leave ;  ' '  our  client  wants  no  notoriety  of 
that  sort ;  and  I  will  make  sure  that  nothing  of  the  kind 

280 


FLOTSAM   AND   JETSAM 

occurs.  I  have  a  friend  who  has  unlimited  influence  with 
the  newspaper  men,  and  I  will  have  him  attend  to  the  mat 
ter  at  once,  and  see  to  it  that  everything  of  that  nature  is 
suppressed. ' ' 

' '  That  is  best, ' '  said  Harold  Mainwaring  gravely,  com 
ing  forward.  "  I  would  have  rendered  the  woman  any 
necessary  assistance ;  I  am  willing  to  do  whatever  is 
needful  now,  but,  living  or  dead,  her  name  shall  never  be 
coupled  with  my  father's  name  and  mine." 

"You  understand,  of  course,  that  money  is  no  object  in 
this  matter, ' '  added  Mr.  Scott. 

' '  I  understand  perfectly,  sir, ' '  said  the  attorney,  courte 
ously  ;  "  everything  will  be  attended  to  ;  and,  Mr.  Barton, 
you  will  kindly  confer  with  Mr.  McCabe,  and  I  will  see  you 
in  the  morning  regarding  your  final  decision.  Good-night, 
gentlemen." 

An  hour  later,  McCabe  took  his  departure.  Of  his  own 
theories  or  plans  he  had  said  little  more  than  that  he  was 
to  leave  the  Waldorf  that  night  for  another  part  of  the  city, 
but  all  details  for  communication  with  him  in  case  of  neces 
sity  had  been  carefully  arranged. 

"Your  'clerk'  has  been  suddenly  called  to  London  on 
important  business,"  he  said  to  Mr.  Barton,  with  a  quiet 
smile,  adding,  "You  may  meet  me  occasionally,  but  it's  not 
likely  or  best  that  you  recognize  me,  and  when  I  have  any 
thing  to  report  you  will  hear  from  me,"  and  with  these 
words  he  was  gone. 

When  at  last  Harold  Mainwaring  and  his  foster-father 
were  again  by  themselves,  the  latter,  noting  the  younger 
man's  abstraction,  said, — 

' '  This  is  naturally  a  great  snock  to  you,  my  boy,  but  it 
is  only  what  might  be  expected  after  such  a  life  as  hers. 
You  have  done  nothing  for  which  to  censure  yourself;  you 
have  done  all  that  could  be  done  under  existing  conditions, 

281 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

and  more  than  was  actually  required  of  you ;  so  you  need 
have  no  regrets  over  the  affair." 

"I  understand  that,  sir;  but  the  thought  that  I  cannot 
banish  from  my  mind  is,  knowing  so  well  her  treachery 
and  deceit,  is  it  possible  that  she  herself  had  a  hand  in  the 
murder,  and  rinding  at  last  that  there  was  no  hope  of  gain 
ing  my  friendship,  did  she  fear  the  developments  which 
might  follow  from  what  she  had  told  ?' ' 

The  elder  man  shook  his  head  thoughtfully.  ' '  We 
cannot  say,  my  boy ;  the  thought  occurred  to  me  almost 
instantaneously,  for,  without  doubt,  she  both  hated  and 
feared  him  ;  but  time  alone  will  tell. ' ' 


252 


CHAPTER    XXIV 

BETWEEN   THE   ACTS 

FOR  the  ten  days  next  ensuing  the  public  craving  for 
sensational  developments  in  the  Mainwaring  case  seemed 
likely  to  be  gratified  to  an  unusual  degree.  To  the  ex 
citing  scenes  of  the  court-room  was  added  the  suicide  of 
Mrs.  LaGrange,  immediately  followed  by  news  of  the  dis 
covery  that  Richard  Hobson,  the  unwilling  witness  in  the 
previous  day's  proceedings,  had  absconded,  leaving  not  the 
slightest  indication  of  even  the  direction  in  which  he  had 
vanished.  By  many  the  suicide  of  the  one  and  the  sudden 
disappearance  of  the  other,  occurring  simultaneously,  were 
considered  as  prima  facie  evidence  that  the  two,  so  closely 
associated  with  each  other,  had  been  in  some  way  connected 
with  the  Fair  Oaks  tragedy. 

From  this  phase  of  the  affair,  however,  public  attention 
was  speedily  diverted  by  the  report  that  proceedings  to 
contest  the  old  will  had  been  instituted,  but  in  the  name 
of  Ralph  Mainwaring  and  his  brother,  Harold  W.  Main- 
waring;  his  son,  the  sole  heir  under  the  will  of  Hugh 
Mainwaring,  having  altogether  withdrawn  from  the  contest. 
This  had  caused  an  open  rupture  between  father  and  son, 
and  the  latter  had  established  himself  in  a  suite  of  apart 
ments  at  the  Murray  Hill. 

Young  Mainwaring' s  course  occasioned  great  surprise; 
many  commended  his  wisdom,  but  few  gave  him  credit  for 
the  genuine  sense  of  honor  which  had  actuated  him. 

' '  A  neat  little  stroke  of  diplomacy, ' '  said  one  club-man 
to  another,  "and  worthy  of  Hugh  Mainwaring  himself! 

283 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

There  is  no  show  for  him,  anyway,  and  it's  much  better 
policy  to  yield  the  point  now,  don't  you  see,  than  to  fight 
it  out  along  with  that  pig-headed  father  of  his. ' ' 

"He  understands  on  which  side  his  bread  is  buttered, 
and  don't  you  forget  it,  my  dear  boy,"  was  the  laughing 
rejoinder.  "It's  always  best  to  stand  in  with  the  winning 
side;  he  won't  lose  anything  in  the  long  run,  and  he 
knows  it." 

Such  remarks  occasionally  reached  young  Mainwaring, 
making  him  exceedingly  indignant. 

' '  You  may  say,  once  and  for  all, ' '  he  said  to  a  reporter 
who  was  interviewing  him  in  his  apartments  at  the  Murray 
Hill,  ' '  that  in  withdrawing  from  this  contest  I  am  not  cur 
rying  favor  with  Harold  Scott  Mainwaring.  He  and  I  are 
the  best  of  friends,  but  that  fact  would  not  hinder  me  from 
giving  him  a  fair  and  square  fight  if  there  were  the  slightest 
doubt  as  to  the  validity  of  his  claim.  But  there  isn't ;  he 
has  proved  his  right,  legally  and  morally,  to  the  property, 
and  that's  enough  for  me." 

"But  Mr.  Ralph  Mainwaring  must  have  some  tenable 
ground  for  contesting  his  claim, ' '  said  the  reporter,  tenta 
tively,  hoping  to  get  some  of  the  inside  facts  of  the  case. 

Young  Mainwaring  froze  instantly.  "I  have  nothing 
whatever  to  say,  sir,  regarding  the  governor's  action  in 
this  matter ;  any  information  you  desire  on  that  point  you 
will  have  to  obtain  from  him." 

The  next  development  in  the  Mainwaring  case  was  a 
report  to  the  effect  that  the  whereabouts  of  Harold  W. 
Mainwaring  could  not  be  ascertained,  and  it  was  generally 
supposed  among  his  London  associates  that  he  had  followed 
his  brother  to  America  by  the  next  steamer.  As  this  re 
port  was  supplemented  by  the  further  facts  that  he  was  a 
man  of  no  principle,  heavily  involved  in  debt,  and  deeply 
incensed  at  Ralph  Mainwaring' s  success  in  securing  for  his 

284 


BETWEEN   THE   ACTS 

son  the  American  estate  in  which  he  himself  had  expected 
to  share,  public  speculation  was  immediately  aroused  in  a 
new  direction,  and  "that  Mainwaring  affair"  became  the 
absorbing  topic,  not  alone  at  the  clubs  and  other  places 
of  masculine  rendezvous,  but  at  all  social  gatherings  as 
well. 

Regarding  the  principal  actors  in  this  drama,  however, 
around  whom  public  interest  really  centred,  little  could  be 
definitely  ascertained.  To  many,  who,  on  the  following 
morning,  read  the  details  of  the  suicide  at  the  Wellington, 
it  was  a  matter  of  no  small  wonder  that  the  name  of  Harold 
Scott  Mainwaring  was  not  once  mentioned  in  connection 
with  that  of  the  woman  shown  by  the  preceding  day's  tes 
timony  to  have  been  so  closely  related  to  him.  Perhaps 
no  one  was  more  surprised  at  this  omission  than  Merrick 
himself,  but  if  so,  his  only  comment  was  made  mentally. 

"  He's  got  the  cinch  on  them  all  around,  and  he'll  win, 
hands  down  ! ' ' 

The  inquest,  held  at  an  early  hour,  was  merely  a  matter 
of  form,  the  evidence  of  intentional  suicide  being  con 
clusive,  and  the  interment,  a  few  hours  later,  was  strictly 
private.  Excepting  the  clergyman  who  read  the  burial 
service,  there  were  present  only  the  two  sons  of  the 
wretched  woman. 

It  was  their  first  meeting  since  learning  of  the  strange 
relationship  existing  between  them,  and  Walter  LaGrange, 
as  he  entered  the  presence  of  the  dead,  cast  a  curious 
glance,  half  shrinking,  half  defiant,  at  the  calm,  stern  face 
of  Harold  Mainwaring,  who  had  preceded  him.  His  own 
face  was  haggard  and  drawn,  and  the  hard,  rigid  lines  deep 
ened  as  his  glance  fell  for  an  instant  on  the  casket  between 
them.  Then  his  eyes  looked  straight  into  those  of  Harold 
Mainwaring  with  an  expression  almost  imploring. 

' ' Tell  me, ' '  he  demanded  in  low,  hoarse  tones,  "is  it 
285 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

true  that  I  am — what  she  once  said  and  what  report  is  now 
saying — the  son  of  Hugh  Mainwaring  ?' ' 

"It  is  true,"  the  other  replied,  gravely. 

"Then  curse  them  both!"  he  exclaimed,  while  his 
hands  clinched  involuntarily.  ' '  What  right  had  they  to 
blight  and  ruin  my  life  ?  What  right  had  they  to  live  as 
they  did,  and  let  the  stigma,  the  shame,  the  curse  of  it  all 
fall  on  me  ?  A  few  months  since  I  had  the  honor  and  re 
spect  of  my  classmates  and  associates  ;  to-day,  not  one  will 
recognize  me,  and  for  no  fault  of  mine  ! ' ' 

"  Hush  !"  interposed  Harold  Mainwaring ;  "  I  know  the 
wrong  which  has  been  done  you, — they  have  wronged  me, 
also,  far  more  deeply  than  you  know, — but  this  is  no  time 
or  place  to  recall  it ! " 

The  calmness  and  kindness  of  his  tones  seemed  to  soothe 
and  control  his  excited  companion. 

' '  I  know  they  have  wronged  you, ' '  the  latter  replied ; 
"but  they  have  not  ruined  you!  You  have  not  only 
friends  and  wealth,  but,  more  than  all,  your  father's  name. 
I, "  he  added  bitterly,  ' '  am  a  pauper,  and  worse  than  a 
pauper,  for  I  have  not  even  a  name  ! ' ' 

For  a  few  moments  Harold  Mainwaring  silently  studied 
the  haggard  young  face  confronting  him,  in  which  anger 
was  slowly  giving  place  to  dull,  sullen  despair  ;  and  his 
own  heart  was  suddenly  moved  with  pity  for  the  boy 

"  Robbed  of  his  birthright  before  he  was  born," 

reared  in  an  atmosphere  of  treachery  and  deceit  calculated 
to  foster  and  develop  the  evil  tendencies  already  inherited  ; 
yet,  notwithstanding  all,  so  closely  akin  to  himself. 

"Walter,"  he  said,  gravely,  at  the  same  time  extending 
his  hand  across  the  casket,  "I  realize  the  truth  of  much 
that  you  have  said,  but  you  need  not  allow  this  to  ruin  or 

286 


BETWEEN   THE   ACTS 

blight  your  life.  Mark  my  words,  your  future  from  this 
time  forth  is,  to  a  great  extent,  in  your  own  hands ;  your 
life  will  be  what  you  make  it,  and  you  alone.  See  to  it 
that  it  is  not  blighted  by  your  own  wrong-doing  !  Be 
yourself  a  man  of  honor,  and  I  will  assure  you,  you  can 
depend  upon  me  to  stand  by  you  and  to  help  you. ' ' 

Walter  LaG range  raised  his  eyes  in  astonishment  at  these 
words,  containing  a  pledge  of  probably  the  first  genuine 
friendship  he  had  ever  known  in  his  young  life.  He  gave 
a  look,  searching,  almost  cynical,  into  Harold  Mainwaring's 
face ;  then  reading  nothing  but  sincerity,  he  took  the  prof 
fered  hand,  saying  brokenly, — 

' '  Do  you  really  mean  it  ?  I  supposed  that  you,  of  all 
others,  would  despise  me  ;  and  it  would  be  no  great  wonder 
if  you  did!" 

"  It  will  depend  entirely  upon  yourself,  Walter,  whether 
or  not  I  despise  you.  If  I  ever  do,  it  will  be  the  result  of 
your  own  unworthiness,  not  because  of  the  wrong-doing  of 
others. ' ' 

There  were  signs  in  the  boy's  face  of  a  brief  struggle 
between  the  old  pride,  inherited  from  his  mother,  and  the 
self-respect  which  Harold  Mainwaring's  words  had  but  just 
awakened. 

"If  it  were  the  other  fellow,"  he  said,  slowly,  "  the  one 
the  old  man  intended  to  make  his  heir,  had  made  me  such 
a  proposition,  I  would  tell  him  to  go  to  the  devil ;  but,  by 
George  !  if  you  will  stand  by  me,  it's  all  right,  and  I'll  be 
man  enough  anyway  that  you'll  never  regret  it." 

A  few  days  later,  Walter  LaGrange,  penniless  and  friend 
less,  had  disappeared,  whither  his  former  associates  neither 
knew  nor  cared.  In  a  large  banking  establishment  in  one 
of  the  principal  western  cities, — a  branch  of  the  firm  of 
Mainwaring  &  Co., — a  young  man,  known  as  the  ward  of 
Harold  Scott  Mainwaring,  was  entered  as  an  employe,  with 

287 


THAT    MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

prospect  of  advancement  should  he  prove  himself  worthy 
of  responsibility  and  trust.  But  of  this,  as  of  many  other 
events  just  then  quietly  transpiring  behind  the  scenes,  little 
or  nothing  was  known. 

Meanwhile,  as  the  days  slipped  rapidly  away,  the  party 
at  the  Waldorf  was  not  idle.  There  were  conferences, 
numerous  and  protracted,  behind  closed  doors,  telegrams 
and  cablegrams  in  cipher  flashed  hither  and  thither  in  mul 
titudinous  directions,  while  Mr.  Sutherland  seemed  fairly 
ubiquitous.  Much  of  his  time,  however,  was  spent  in  the 
private  parlors  of  the  English  party,  with  frequent  journeys 
to  the  court-house  to  ascertain  the  status  of  the  case.  From 
one  of  these  trips  he  returned  one  evening  jubilant. 

"Well,"  said  he,  settling  himself  comfortably,  with  a 
sigh  of  relief,  "  the  first  point  in  the  case  is  decided  in  our 
favor. ' ' 

"That  is  a  good  omen,"  Mr.  Barton  replied  cheerfully; 
"  but  may  I  inquire  to  what  you  refer?" 

"I  have  succeeded  in  getting  the  date  for  the  hearing 
set  for  the  next  term  of  court,  which  opens  early  in 
December." 

"I  am  glad  to  hear  it;  a  little  time  just  now  is  of  the 
utmost  importance  to  our  interests.  Did  you  have  any 
difficulty  in  securing  a  postponement  until  the  next  term?" 

"Whitney,  of  course,  opposed  it  strongly.  He  said 
his  client  wanted  the  matter  settled  at  the  earliest  pos 
sible  moment ;  but  I  told  him  that  so  long  as  Ralph  Main- 
waring  persisted  in  butting  against  a  stone  wall,  just  so 
long  a  speedy  settlement  was  out  of  the  question ;  it  was 
bound  to  be  a  hard  fight,  and  would  be  carried  over  into 
the  next  term  in  any  event.  Then  I  had  a  private  inter 
view  with  Judge  Bingham,  and,  without  giving  particulars, 
told  him  that  new  developments  had  arisen,  and,  with  a 
little  time  in  which  to  procure  certain  evidence,  we  would 

288 


BETWEEN   THE   ACTS 

have  our  opponents  completely  floored, — they  would  not 
even  have  an  inch  of  room  left  to  stand  upon, — while 
under  present  conditions,  Mainwaring,  so  long  as  he  had  a 
shilling,  would,  if  beaten,  move  for  a  new  trial,  or  appeal 
to  a  higher  court, — anything  to  keep  up  the  fight.  So  he 
will  grant  us  till  December,  which,  I  am  inclined  to  think, 
will  be  ample  time." 

"It  looks  now,"  said  Mr.  Barton,  producing  a  tele 
gram,  "as  though  we  might  succeed  in  securing  that  evi 
dence  much  sooner  than  we  have  anticipated.  What  do 
you  think  of  that?"  and  he  handed  the  despatch  to  Mr. 
Sutherland. 

The  face  of  the  latter  brightened  as  he  glanced  rapidly 
over  the  yellow  sheet. 

"The  dickens!  McCabe  has  left  the  city!"  he  ex 
claimed. 

Mr.  Barton  bowed.  "  Which  means,"  he  said  in  reply, 
' '  that  he  has  evidently  struck  the  scent ;  and  when  he 
once  starts  on  the  trail,  it  is  only  a  question  of  time — and 
usually  not  any  great  length  of  time,  either — before  he 
runs  his  game  to  cover." 

"Well,"  ejaculated  Mr.  Sutherland,  rubbing  his  hands 
together  enthusiastically,  ' '  I,  for  one,  want  to  be  '  in  at 
the  death'  on  this,  for  it  will  simply  be  the  finest  piece  of 
work,  the  grandest  denouement,  of  any  case  that  has  ever 
come  within  my  twenty  years  of  legal  experience  !" 

Mr.  Barton  smiled.  "My  brother  is  evidently  of  the 
same  opinion  with  yourself, ' '  he  said.  ' '  I  received  a  cable 
gram  from  him  to-day,  requesting  me  to  inform  him  at 
once  of  the  date  set  for  the  hearing,  as  he  stated  he  would 
not,  for  a  kingdom,  fail  of  being  present  at  the  trial." 

With  the  announcement  that  the  case  of  Mainwaring 
versus  Mainwaring  had  been  set  for  the  opening  of  the 
December  term  of  court,  the  public  paused  to  take  breath 
J9  289 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

and  to  wonder  at  this  unlooked-for  delay,  but  preparations 
for  the  coming  contest  were  continued  with  unabated  vigor 
on  both  sides.  Contrary  to  all  expectations,  Ralph  Main- 
waring,  so  far  from  objecting  to  the  postponement  of  the 
case,  took  special  pains  to  express  his  entire  satisfaction 
with  this  turn  of  affairs. 

"It  is  an  indication  of  conscious  weakness  on  their 
part,"  he  remarked  with  great  complacency,  as  he  and 
Mr.  Whitney  were  dining  at  the  club  on  the  following  day. 
"They  have  evidently  discovered  some  flaw  in  their  de 
fence  which  it  will  take  some  time  to  repair.  I  can  afford 
to  wait,  however ;  my  attorneys  and  experts  will  soon  be 
here,  and  while  our  side  could  easily  have  been  in  readi 
ness  in  a  much  shorter  time,  this,  of  course,  will  give  us  an 
opportunity  for  still  more  elaborate  preparation,  so  that  we 
will  gain  an  immense  advantage  over  them." 

"  I  suppose,  Mr.  Mainwaring,"  said  one  of  his  listeners, 
giving  a  quick  side-glance  at  his  companions,  "  I  suppose 
that  during  this  interim  a  truce  will  be  declared,  and  for 
the  time  being  there  will  be  a  cessation  of  hostilities  be 
tween  the  parties  in  interest,  will  there  not  ?' ' 

"Sir!"  roared  Ralph  Mainwaring,  transfixing  the 
speaker  with  a  stare  calculated  to  annihilate  him. 

' '  I  beg  pardon,  sir,  I  intended  no  offence, ' '  continued 
the  irrepressible  young  American,  ignoring  the  warning 
signals  from  his  associates ;  "it  only  occurred  to  me  that 
with  such  an  immense  advantage  on  your  side  you  could 
afford  to  be  magnanimous  and  treat  your  opponent  with 
some  consideration." 

"  I  am  not  accustomed  to  showing  magnanimity  or  con 
sideration  to  any  but  my  own  equals, ' '  the  other  rejoined, 
with  freezing  dignity ;  ' '  and  the  fact  that  my  '  opponent, ' 
as  you  are  pleased  to  designate  him,  is,  for  the  present, 
allowed  liberty  to  go  and  come  at  his  pleasure,  although 

290 


BETWEEN  THE   ACTS 

under  strict  surveillance,  is,  in  this  instance,  sufficient  con 
sideration.  ' ' 

"Harold  Scott  Mainwaring  under  surveillance?  In 
credible  !"  exclaimed  one  of  the  party  in  a  low  tone,  while 
the  first  speaker  remarked,  "  I  certainly  was  unaware  that 
the  gentleman  in  question  was  to  be  regarded  in  the  light 
of  a  suspected  criminal !" 

"It  is  to  be  presumed, ' '  said  Ralph  Mainwaring, 
haughtily,  stung  by  the  tinge  of  irony  in  the  other's  tone, 
' '  that  there  are  a  number  of  points  in  this  case  of  which 
people  in  general  are  as  yet  unaware,  but  upon  which  they 
are  likely  to  become  enlightened  in  the  near  future,  when 
this  person  who  has  assumed  such  a  variety  of  roles  will  be 
disclosed  in  his  true  light, — not  that  of  a  suspected  crim 
inal  merely,  but  of  a  condemned  criminal,  convicted  by  a 
chain  of  evidence  every  link  of  which  has  been  forged  by 
himself." 

There  was  an  ominous  silence  as  Ralph  Mainwaring  rose 
from  the  table,  broken  at  last  by  an  elderly  gentleman 
seated  at  a  little  distance,  who,  while  apparently  an  inter 
ested  listener,  had  taken  no  part  in  the  conversation. 

"Begging  your  pardon,  Mr.  Mainwaring,  I  would  judge 
the  charges  which  you  would  prefer  against  this  young  man 
to  be  unusually  serious ;  may  I  inquire  their  nature?" 

The  words  were  spoken  with  the  utmost  deliberation,  but 
in  the  calm,  even  tones  there  was  an  implied  challenge, 
which  was  all  that  was  needed  at  that  instant  to  fan  Ralph 
Mainwaring' s  wrath  into  a  flame.  Utterly  disregarding  a 
cautionary  glance  from  Mr.  Whitney,  he  turned  his  monacle 
upon  the  speaker,  glaring  at  him  in  contemptuous  silence 
for  a  moment. 

"You  have  decidedly  the  advantage  of  me,  sir,  but 
allow  me  to  say  that  the  person  under  discussion  has  not 
only,  with  unheard  of  effrontery,  publicly  and  unblush- 

291 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

ingly  proclaimed  himself  as  a  blackmailer  and  knave,  capa 
ble  of  descending  to  any  perfidy  or  treachery  for  the  pur 
pose  of  favoring  his  own  base  schemes,  but  he  has  also,  in 
his  inordinate  greed  and  ambition,  unwittingly  proved  him 
self  by  his  own  statements  and  conduct  to  be  a  villain  of 
the  deepest  dye ;  and  I  will  say,  furthermore,  that  if 
Harold  Scott  Mainwaring,  as  he  styles  himself,  ends  his 
days  upon  the  gallows  in  expiation  of  the  foul  murder  of 
Hugh  Mainwaring,  he  will  have  only  himself  to  thank,  for 
his  own  words  and  deeds  will  have  put  the  noose  about  his 
neck." 

Having  thus  expressed  himself,  Ralph  Mainwaring,  with 
out  waiting  for  reply,  left  the  room  accompanied  by  Mr. 
Whitney.  The  latter  made  no  comment  until  they  were 
seated  in  the  carriage  and  rolling  down  the  avenue  ;  then 
he  remarked,  casually, — 

"I  was  surprised,  Mr.  Mainwaring,  that  you  failed  to 
recognize  the  gentleman  who  addressed  you  as  you  were 
leaving  the  table.  ' ' 

"  His  face  was  somewhat  familiar ;  I  have  met  him,  but 
I  cannot  recall  when  or  where.  I  considered  his  tone  de 
cidedly  offensive,  however,  and  I  proposed,  whoever  he 
might  be,  to  give  him  to  understand  that  I  would  brook  no 
interference.  Do  you  know  him  ?" 

"  I  have  never  met  him,  but  I  know  of  him,"  the  attor 
ney  replied,  watching  his  client  closely.  "  He  is  the  Hon 
orable  J.  Ponsonby  Roget,  Q.  C.,  of  London.  I  supposed 
of  course  that  you  knew  him." 

"  J.  Ponsonby  Roget,  Queen's  Counsel  ?  Egad  !  I  have 
met  him,  but  it  was  years  ago,  and  he  has  aged  so  that  I 
did  not  recognize  him.  Strange  ! "  he  added,  visibly  an 
noyed.  "  What  the  deuce  is  he  doing  in  this  country?" 

"That  is  just  what  no  one  is  able  to  say,"  replied  the 
attorney,  slowly.  "  He  is  stopping  at  the  Waldorf,  with 

292 


BETWEEN   THE   ACTS 

our  friends,  the  English  party,  but  whether  as  a  guest  or  in 
a  professional  capacity,  no  one  has  been  able  to  ascertain." 

"  Zounds,  man  1  why  did  you  not  give  me  this  informa 
tion  earlier?" 

"For  the  good  and  sufficient  reason,  Mr.  Mainwaring, 
that  I  did  not  learn  of  the  facts  myself  until  within  the  last 
two  hours.  My  attention  was  called  to  the  gentleman  as  I 
entered  the  club.  I  assumed,  of  course,  that  you  knew 
him,  at  least  by  sight,  and  when  he  addressed  you  I  sup 
posed  for  the  instant  that  you  were  acquaintances." 

' '  But  how  came  he  at  the  club  ?  None  of  the  party 
from  the  Waldorf  were  with  him." 

"He  was  there  as  the  especial  guest  of  Chief- Justice 
Parmalee,  of  the  Supreme  Court,  the  gentleman  on  his  left. 
Judge  Parmalee  spent  much  of  his  life  in  London,  and  the 
two  are  particular  friends. ' ' 

"Well,  it's  done,  and  can't  be  undone,  and  I  don't 
know  that  I  regret  it,"  Ralph  Mainwaring  remarked,  sul 
lenly.  "If  he  chooses  to  identify  himself  with  that  side 
of  the  case  he  is  at  liberty  to  do  so,  but  he  has  my  opinion 
of  his  client  gratis.  ' ' 

Mr.  Whitney  made  no  reply,  and  the  drive  was  con 
cluded  in  silence. 

Meanwhile,  Ralph  Mainwaring  had  no  sooner  left  the 
club  than  a  chorus  of  exclamations,  protests,  and  running 
comments  arose  on  all  sides. 

"  Harold  Scott  Mainwaring  the  murderer  of  Hugh  Main- 
waring  !  That  is  carrying  this  farce  beyond  all  bounds  !" 

"If  he  cannot  get  possession  of  the  property  in  any 
other  way,  he  will  send  the  new  heir  to  the  gallows,  eh  ?' ' 

"  He  will  attempt  it,  too  ;  he  is  desperate,"  said  one. 

"  He  may  make  it  pretty  serious  for  the  young  fellow," 
said  another,  thoughtfully.  "You  remember,  by  his  own 
statements  he  was  the  last  person  who  saw  Hugh  Mainwar- 

293 


THAT    MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

ing  alive ;  in  fact,  he  was  in  his  library  within  a  few 
moments  preceding  his  death ;  and  after  all  that  has  been 
brought  to  light,  it's  not  to  be  supposed  that  he  had  any 
great  affection  for  his  uncle. ' ' 

"What  is  this,  gentlemen?"  said  a  reporter,  briskly, 
appearing  on  the  scene,  note-book  in  hand.  "Any  new 
developments  in  the  Mainwaring  case?" 

' '  Yes,  a  genuine  sensation  ! ' '  shouted  two  or  three 
voices. 

"  Gentlemen,  attention  a  moment ! ' '  said  a  commanding 
voice  outside,  and  an  instant  later  a  tall,  well-known  form 
entered. 

' '  The  ubiquitous  Mr.  Sutherland  ! ' '  laughingly  an 
nounced  a  jovial  young  fellow,  standing  near  the  entrance. 

"Sutherland,  how  is  this?"  demanded  one  of  the  elder 
gentlemen.  "  Have  you  a  private  battery  concealed  about 
your  person  with  invisible  wires  distributed  throughout  the 
city,  that  you  seem  to  arrive  at  any  and  every  spot  just  on 
the  nick  of  time  ?' ' 

"That  is  one  of  the  secrets  of  the  profession,  Mr.  Nor 
ton,  not  to  be  revealed  to  the  uninitiated,"  replied  the  at 
torney,  while  a  quick  glance  flashed  between  himself  and 
the  Queen's  Counsel. 

' '  There  is  one  thing,  gentlemen, ' '  he  continued,  with 
great  dignity,  "to  which  I  wish  to  call  your  attention,  par 
ticularly  you  gentlemen  of  the  press.  I  am  aware  of  the 
nature  of  the  '  sensation'  of  which  you  made  mention  a 
moment  ago,  but  I  wish  it  distinctly  understood  that  it  is 
to  be  given  no  publicity  whatever.  The  name  of  my  client 
is  not  to  be  bandied  about  before  the  public  in  connection 
with  any  of  Ralph  Mainwaring' s  imputations  or  villifica- 
tions,  for  the  reason  that  they  are  wholly  without  founda 
tion.  We  are  thoroughly  cognizant  of  that  gentleman's 
intentions  regarding  our  client,  and  we  will  meet  him  on 

294 


BETWEEN   THE   ACTS 

his  own  ground.  In  the  coming  contest  we  will  not  only 
establish  beyond  all  shadow  of  doubt  our  client's  sole  right 
and  title  to  the  Mainwaring  estate,  but  we  will,  at  the  same 
time,  forever  refute  and  silence  any  and  every  aspersion 
which  Ralph  Mainwaring  may  seek  to  cast  upon  him. 
Even  were  there  any  truth  in  these  insinuations,  it  would 
be  time  enough,  when  the  charges  should  be  preferred 
against  our  client,  to  blazen  them  before  the  public,  but 
since  they  are  only  the  product  of  spleen  and  malignity, 
simply  consign  them  to  the  odium  and  obloquy  to  which 
they  are  entitled." 

' '  That  is  right ! ' '  responded  two  or  three  voices,  while 
the  reporter  replied,  courteously, — 

"  We  will  certainly  respect  your  wishes,  sir ;  but  you  see 
the  public  is  on  the  qui  vive,  so  to  speak,  over  this  case, 
and  it  is  our  business  to  get  hold  of  every  item  which  we  can 
to  add  to  the  interest.  You  have  checked  us  off  on  some 
rather  interesting  matter  already,  I  believe." 

' '  Perhaps  so, ' '  said  Mr.  Sutherland,  quietly,  ' '  but  I  can 
promise  you  that  before  long  there  will  be  developments  in 
the  case  which  will  give  you  boys  all  the  interesting  matter 
you  will  need  for  some  time,  and  they  will  be  fact,  not 
fabrication. ' ' 

As  the  result  of  Mr.  Sutherland's  prompt  action,  the 
newspapers  contained  no  allusion  to  that  evening's  scene  at 
the  club  ;  but  even  his  energy  and  caution  were  powerless  to 
prevent  the  spread  of  the  affair  from  lip  to  lip.  Mentioned 
scarcely  above  a  whisper,  the  report  rippled  onward,  the 
waves  widening  in  all  directions,  with  various  alterations 
and  additions,  till  it  was  regarded  as  an  open  secret  in  all 
circles  of  society.  It  reached  young  Mainwaring  in  his 
rather  secluded  bachelor  quarters  at  the  Murray  Hill,  and 
he  bowed  his  head  in  shame  that  a  Mainwaring  should  stoop 
to  so  disgraceful  an  exhibition  of  his  venomous  rage  and 

295 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

hatred.  It  reached  Harold  Scott  Mainwaring,  and  the 
smouldering  fire  in  the  dark  eyes  gleamed  afresh  and  the 
proud  face  grew  rigid  and  stern.  Donning  overcoat  and 
hat,  he  left  his  apartments  at  the  Waldorf,  and  started  forth 
in  the  direction  of  the  club  most  frequented  by  Ralph 
Mainwaring  and  Mr.  Whitney. 

He  had  gone  but  a  short  distance  when  he  met  young 
Mainwaring.  The  young  men  exchanged  cordial  greetings, 
and,  at  Harold's  request,  his  cousin  retraced  his  steps  to  ac 
company  him. 

"  Why  are  you  making  such  a  stranger  of  yourself,  Hugh  ? 
I  have  scarcely  seen  you  of  late,"  said  Harold,  after  a  little 
general  conversation. 

"Well,  to  be  frank  with  you,  old  boy,  I  haven't  been 
around  so  often  as  I  would  like  for  two  reasons ;  for  one 
thing,  I  find  people  generally  are  not  inclined  to  regard 
our  friendship  in  the  same  light  that  we  do.  You  and  I 
understand  one  another,  and  you  don't  suspect  me  of  any 
flunkeyism,  or  any  ulterior  motive,  don't  you  know, " 

"I  understand  perfectly,"  said  Harold,  as  his  cousin 
paused,  seeming  to  find  some  difficulty  in  conveying  his 
exact  meaning ;  ' '  and  so  long  as  you  and  I  do  understand  each 
other,  what  is  the  use  of  paying  any  attention  to  outsiders  ? 
Whether  we  were  friends,  or  refused  to  recognize  one 
another,  their  small  talk  and  gossip  would  flow  on  forever, 
so  why  attempt  to  check  it  ?' ' 

"  I  believe  you  are  right ;  but  that  isn't  all  of  it,  don't 
you  know.  What  I  care  most  about  is  the  governor's 
losing  his  head  in  the  way  he  has  lately.  It  is  simply  out 
rageous,  the  reports  he  has  started  in  circulation  !" 

Hugh  paused  and  glanced  anxiously  into  his  cousin's  face, 
but  the  frank,  brotherly  kindness  which  he  read  there  reas 
sured  him 

"  My  dear  cousin,"  said  Harold,  warmly,  "  nothing  that 
296 


BETWEEN   THE   ACTS 

Ralph  Mainwaring  can  ever  say  or  do  shall  make  any 
difference  between  us.  There  are  but  two  contingencies 
in  this  connection  that  I  regret." 

"And  those  are  what?"  the  younger  man  questioned 
eagerly. 

' '  That  he  bears  the  name  of  Mainwaring,  and  that  he 
is  your  father  ! ' ' 

"By  Jove!  I'm  with  you  on  that,"  the  other  ex 
claimed  heartily,  "and  I  hope  you'll  win  every  point  in 
the  game  ;  but  I've  been  awfully  cut  up  over  what  he 
has  said  and  done  recently.  I  know  that  he  intends 
to  carry  his  threats  into  execution,  and  I'm  afraid 
he'll  make  it  deucedly  unpleasant  for  you,  don't  you 
know. ' ' 

They  had  reached  the  club-house,  and  Harold  Mainwar 
ing,  as  he  paused  on  the  lowest  step,  smiled  brightly  into 
the  boyish  face,  regarding  him  with  such  solicitude. 

' '  I  understand  his  intentions  as  well  as  you,  and  know 
that  it  would  give  him  great  delight  to  carry  them  into 
execution ;  but,  my  dear  boy,  he  will  never  have  the  oppor 
tunity  to  even  make  the  attempt. ' ' 

Young  Mainwaring' s  face  brightened.  "Why,  are  you 
prepared  to  head  him  off  in  that  direction  ?  By  Jove  ! 
I'm  right  glad  to  know  it.  Well,  I'll  be  around  to  the 
WTaldorf  in  the  course  of  a  day  or  two.  No,  much  obliged, 
but  I  don't  care  to  go  into  the  club-rooms  to-night;  in 
fact,  I  haven't  been  in  there  since  the  governor  made  that 
after-dinner  speech  of  his.  Good-night !" 

As  Harold  Mainwaring  sauntered  carelessly  through  the 
club-rooms,  returning  the  greetings  of  the  select  circle  of 
friends  which  he  had  made,  he  was  conscious  of  glances 
of  interest  and  undisguised  curiosity  from  the  many  with 
whom  he  had  no  acquaintance.  No  allusion  was  made  to 
the  subject  which  he  well  knew  was  in  their  minds,  however, 

297 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

until,  meeting  Mr.  Chittenden,  the  latter  drew  him  aside 
into  an  alcove. 

' '  I  say,  my  dear  Mainwaring,  are  you  aware  that  your 
esteemed  kinsman  has  you  under  strict  surveillance?" 

Mainwaring  smiled,  though  his  eyes  flashed.  "  I  am 
aware  that  he  has  made  statements  to  that  effect,  although, 
thus  far,  his  'surveillance'  has  interfered  in  no  way  either 
with  my  duties  or  pleasures,  nor  do  I  apprehend  that  it 
will." 

"My  dear  fellow,  it  is  simply  preposterous!  the  man 
must  be  insane." 

"  Is  he  here  this  evening?"    Mainwaring  inquired. 

"  No;  to  tell  the  truth,  he  has  not  found  it  so  very  con 
genial  here  since  that  outbreak  of  his ;  he  seldom  is  here 
now,  excepting,  of  course,  at  meals.  Mr.  Whitney  is  here, 
however. ' ' 

"I  came  here,"  Harold  Mainwaring  replied,  "with  the 
express  purpose  of  meeting  one  or  the  other,  or  both  ;  on 
the  whole,  it  will  be  rather  better  to  meet  Mr.  Whitney. ' ' 

"No  trouble,  no  unpleasant  words,  I  hope?"  said  the 
elder  man,  anxiously. 

"Mr.  Chittenden,  when  you  knew  me  as  Hugh  Main- 
waring's  private  secretary,  you  knew  me  as  a  gentleman ; 
I  trust  I  shall  never  be  less." 

' '  You  are  right,  you  are  right,  my  boy,  and  I  beg  your 
pardon ;  but  young  blood  is  apt  to  be  hasty,  you  know. ' ' 

A  little  later  Harold  Mainwaring  strolled  leisurely  across 
the  large  reading-room  to  a  table  where  Mr.  Whitney  was 
seated.  The  latter,  seeing  him,  rose  to  greet  him,  while 
his  sensitive  face  flushed  with  momentary  excitement. 

"  Mr.  Mainwaring,  I  am  delighted  to  meet  you.  I  had 
hoped  from  the  friendly  tone  of  that  rather  mysterious  note 
of  yours,  upon  your  somewhat  abrupt  departure,  that  we 
might  meet  again  soon,  and,  though  it  is  under  greatly 

298 


BETWEEN   THE   ACTS 

altered  circumstances,  I  am  proud  to  have  the  opportunity 
of  congratulating  you." 

The  younger  man  responded  courteously,  and  for  a  few 
moments  the  two  chatted  pleasantly  upon  subjects  of  gen 
eral  interest,  while  many  pairs  of  eyes  looked  on  in  silent 
astonishment,  wondering  what  this  peculiar  interview  might 
portend. 

At  last,  after  a  slight  pause,  Harold  Mainwaring  re 
marked,  calmly,  "Mr.  Whitney,  I  understand  that,  when 
the  coming  litigation  is  terminated,  your  client  intends  to 
institute  proceedings  against  me  of  a  far  different  nature, — 
criminal  proceedings,  in  fact. ' ' 

The  attorney  colored  and  started  nervously,  then  replied 
in  a  low  tone,  ' '  Mr.  Mainwaring,  let  us  withdraw  to  one 
of  the  side  rooms ;  this  is  rather  a  public  place  for  any  con 
versation  regarding  those  matters." 

"It  is  none  too  public  for  me,  Mr.  Whitney,  as  I  have 
nothing  unpleasant  to  say  towards  yourself  personally,  and 
nothing  which  I  am  not  perfectly  willing  should  be  heard 
by  any  and  every  individual  in  these  rooms  to-night.  You 
have  not  yet  answered  my  inquiry,  Mr.  Whitney. ' ' 

The  attorney  paused  for  a  moment,  as  though  laboring 
under  great  excitement,  then  he  spoke  in  a  tone  vibrating 
with  strong  emotion, — 

"Mr.  Mainwaring,  regarding  my  client's  intentions,  you 
have,  in  all  probability,  been  correctly  informed.  I  be 
lieve  that  he  has  made  statements  at  various  times  to  that 
effect,  and  I  am  now  so  well  acquainted  with  him  that  I 
know  there  is  no  doubt  but  that  he  will  attempt  to  carry 
out  what  he  has  threatened.  But,  Mr.  Mainwaring,  I  wish 
to  say  a  word  or  two  for  myself.  In  the  coming  litigation 
over  the  estate,  I,  as  Ralph  Mainwaring' s  counsel,  am 
bound  to  do  my  part  without  any  reference  to  my  own  per 
sonal  opinions  or  prejudices,  and  I  expect  to  meet  you 

299 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

and  your  counsel  in  an  open  fight, — perhaps  a  bitter  one. 
But  this  much  I  have  to  say :  Should  Ralph  Mainwaring 
undertake  to  bring  against  you  any  action  of  the  character 
which  he  has  threatened,"  here  Mr.  Whitney  rose  to  his 
feet  and  brought  his  hand  down  with  a  ringing  blow  upon 
the  table  at  his  side,  "he  will  have  to  employ  other  coun 
sel  than  myself,  for  I  will  have  nothing  whatever  to  do  with 
such  a  case  ! ' ' 

He  paused  a  moment,  then  continued  :  "  I  do  not  claim 
to  understand  you  perfectly,  Mr.  Mainwaring.  I  will  con 
fess  you  have  always  been  a  mystery  to  me,  and  you  are 
still.  There  are  depths  about  you  that  I  cannot  fathom. 
But  I  do  believe  in  your  honor,  your  integrity,  and  your 
probity,  and  as  for  taking  part  in  any  action  reflecting  upon 
your  character,  or  incriminating  you  in  any  respect,  I 
never  will ! ' ' 

A  roar  of  applause  resounded  through  the  club-rooms  as 
he  concluded.  When  it  had  subsided,  Harold  Mainwaring 
replied, — 

"Mr.  Whitney,  I  thank  you  for  this  public  expression 
of  your  confidence  in  me.  The  relations  between  us  in  the 
past  have  been  pleasant,  and  I  trust  they  will  continue  so  in 
the  future.  As  I  stated,  however,  I  came  here  to-night 
with  no  unfriendly  feeling  towards  yourself,  but  to  ask  you 
to  be  the  bearer  of  a  message  from  me  to  your  client. 
Ralph  Mainwaring,  not  content  with  trying  by  every  means 
within  his  power  to  deprive  me  of  my  right  and  title  to  the 
estate  for  years  wrongfully  withheld  from  my  father  and 
from  myself,  now  accuses  me  of  being  the  murderer  of 
Hugh  Mainwaring !  Say  to  Ralph  Mainwaring,  for  me, 
that,  not  through  what  he  terms  my  '  inordinate  greed  and 
ambition, '  but  through  God-given  rights  which  no  man  can 
take  from  me,  I  will  have  my  own,  and  he  is  powerless  to 
prevent  it  or  to  stand  in  my  way.  But  say  to  him  that  I 

300 


BETWEEN   THE   ACTS 

will  never  touch  one  farthing  of  this  property  until  I  stand 
before  the  world  free  and  acquitted  of  the  most  remote 
shadow  of  the  murder  of  Hugh  Mainwaring ;  nor  until  the 
foul  and  dastardly  crime  that  stains  Fair  Oaks  shall  have 
been  avenged  ! ' ' 

Amid   the    prolonged   applause    that    followed,    Harold 
Mainwaring  left  the  building. 


CHAPTER    XXV 

RUN    TO    COVER 

A  DULL,  cheerless  day  in  the  early  part  of  December  was 
merging  into  a  stormy  night  as  the  west-bound  express  over 
one  of  the  transcontinental  railways,  swiftly  winding  its 
way  along  the  tortuous  course  of  a  Rocky  Mountain  canyon, 
suddenly  paused  before  the  long,  low  depot  of  a  typical 
western  mining  city.  The  arc  lights  swinging  to  and  fro 
shed  only  a  ghastly  radiance  through  the  dense  fog,  and 
grotesque  shadows,  dancing  hither  and  thither  to  the 
vibratory  motion  of  the  lights,  seemed  trying  to  contest 
supremacy  with  the  feeble  rays. 

The  train  had  not  come  to  a  full  stop  when  a  man  sprang 
lightly  from  one  of  the  car  platforms,  and,  passing  swiftly 
through  the  waiting  crowd,  concealed  himself  in  the 
friendly  shelter  of  the  shadows,  where  he  remained  oblivi 
ous  to  the  rain  falling  in  spiteful  dashes,  while  he  scanned 
the  hurrying  crowd  surging  in  various  directions.  Not  one 
of  the  crowd  observed  him ;  not  one  escaped  his  observa 
tion.  Soon  his  attention  was  riveted  upon  a  tall  man, 
closely  muffled  in  fur  coat  and  cap,  who  descended  from 
one  of  the  rear  coaches,  and,  after  a  quick,  cautious  glance 
about  him,  passed  the  silent,  motionless  figure  in  the 
shadow  and  hastily  entered  a  carriage  standing  near.  The 
other,  listening  intently  for  the  instructions  given  the 
driver,  caught  the  words,  "545  Jefferson  Street." 

As  the  carriage  rolled  away,  he  emerged  from  the 
shadow  and  jotted  down  the  address  in  a  small  note-book, 
soliloquizing  as  he  did  so, — 

30* 


RUN   TO   COVER 

"  I  have  tracked  him  to  his  lair  at  last,  and  now,  unless 
that  infernal  hoodoo  looms  upon  the  scene,  I  can  get  in  my 
work  in  good  shape.  I  would  have  had  my  game  weeks 
ago,  but  for  his  appearance,  confound  him  ! ' ' 

He  looked  at  his  watch.  "  Dinner  first,"  he  muttered, 
"the  next  thing  in  order  is  to  find  the  alias  under  which 
my  gentleman  is  at  present  travelling.  No  one  seems  to 
know  much  about  him  in  these  parts." 

The  dim  light  revealed  a  man  below  medium  height,  his 
form  enveloped  in  a  heavy  English  mackintosh  thrown  care 
lessly  about  his  shoulders,  which,  as  he  made  his  notes, 
blew  partially  open,  revealing  an  immaculate  shirt  front 
and  a  brilliant  diamond  which  scintillated  and  sparkled  in 
open  defiance  of  the  surrounding  gloom.  A  soft  felt  hat 
well  pulled  down  concealed  his  eyes  and  the  upper  part  of 
his  face,  leaving  visible  only  a  slightly  aquiline  nose  and 
heavy,  black  mustache,  which  gave  his  face  something  of  a 
Jewish  cast.  Replacing  his  note-book  in  his  pocket,  he 
called  a  belated  carriage,  and  hastily  gave  orders  to  be 
taken  to  the  Clifton  House. 

Arriving  at  the  hotel,  the  stranger  registered  as  "A. 
Rosenbaum,  Berlin, ' '  and,  having  secured  one  of  the  best 
rooms  the  house  afforded,  repaired  to  the  dining-room. 
Dinner  over,  Mr.  Rosenbaum  betook  himself  to  a  quiet 
corner  of  the  office,  which  served  also  as  a  reading-room, 
and  soon  was  apparently  absorbed  in  a  number  of  Eastern 
papers,  both  English  and  German,  though  a  keen  observer 
would  have  noted  that  the  papers  were  occasionally  lowered 
sufficiently  to  give  the  eyes — again  concealed  beneath  the 
hat-brim — an  opportunity  for  reconnoitring  the  situation. 
He  was  attired  in  a  black  suit  of  faultless  fit,  and  a  superb 
ruby  on  his  left  hand  gleamed  and  glowed  like  living  fire, 
rivalling  in  beauty  the  flashing  diamond.  He  speedily  be 
came  the  subject  of  considerable  speculation  among  the 

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THAT    MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

various  classes  of  men  congregating  in  the  hotel  office,  most 
of  them  for  an  evening  of  social  enjoyment,  though  a  few 
seemed  to  have  gathered  there  for  the  purpose  of  conduct 
ing  business  negotiations.  Among  the  latter,  after  a  time, 
was  the  tall  man  in  fur  coat  and  cap,  who  appeared  to  be 
waiting  for  some  one  with  whom  he  had  an  appointment, 
as  he  shunned  the  crowd,  selecting  a  seat  near  Mr.  Rosen- 
baum  as  the  most  quiet  place  available.  Having  removed 
his  cap  and  thrown  back  the  high  collar  of  his  fur  coat,  he 
appeared  to  be  a  man  of  about  fifty  years  of  age,  with  iron- 
gray  hair  and  a  full,  heavy  beard  of  the  same  shade.  He 
wore  dark  glasses,  and,  having  seated  himself  with  his  back 
towards  the  light,  drew  forth  from  his  pocket  a  number  of 
voluminous  type-written  documents,  and  became  absorbed 
in  a  perusal  of  their  contents. 

Meanwhile,  the  proprietor  of  the  Clifton  House,  feeling 
considerable  curiosity  regarding  his  new  guest,  sauntered 
over  in  his  direction. 

"Well,  Mr.  Rosenbaum,"  he  remarked,  genially,  "you 
have  hit  on  rather  a  stormy  night  for  your  introduction  to 
our  city,  for  I  take  it  you  are  a  stranger  here,  are  you  not  ?' ' 

The  soft  hat  was  raised  slightly,  revealing  a  rather  stolid, 
expressionless  face,  with  dark  eyes  nearly  concealed  by  long 
lashes. 

"  Not  the  most  agreeable,  certainly,"  he  answered,  with 
an  expressive  shrug  and  a  marked  German  accent,  at  the 
same  time  ignoring  the  other's  question. 

"  Your  first  impressions  are  not  likely  to  be  very  pleasant, 
but  if  you  stop  over  a  few  days  you  will  see  we  have  a  fine 
city.  Do  you  remain  here  long?" 

"I  cannot  say  at  present;  depends  entirely  upon  busi 
ness,  you  understand." 

' '  I  see.     What' s  your  line  ?" 

For  reply  the  stranger  handed  the  other  a  small  card,  on 
3°4 


RUN   TO    COVER 

which  was  engraved,  "  Rosenbaum  Brothers,  Diamond 
Brokers,  Berlin,"  and  bearing  on  one  corner  his  own  name, 
"A.  Rosenbaum." 

"Diamond  brokers,  eh?  You  don't  say!"  exclaimed 
the  proprietor,  regarding  the  bit  of  pastboard  with  visible 
respect.  ' '  Must  be  quite  a  business.  You  represent  this 
firm,  I  suppose  ;  you  are  their  salesman  ?' ' 

The  stranger  shook  his  head  with  a  smile.  "We  have 
no  salesmen,"  he  answered,  quietly.  "We  have  branch 
houses  in  Paris,  London,  and  New  York,  but  we  employ  no 
travelling  salesmen.  Any  one  can  sell  diamonds  ;  my  busi 
ness  is  to  buy  them, ' '  with  marked  emphasis  on  the  last 
words. 

"Well,"  said  his  interlocutor,  "you're  not  looking  for 
'em  out  here,  are  you?" 

"  Why  not  here  as  well  as  anywhere  ?  So  far  as  my  ex 
perience  goes,  it  is  nothing  uncommon  in  this  part  of  the 
country  to  run  across  owners  of  fine  stones  who,  for  one 
reason  or  another,  are  very  glad  to  exchange  the  same  for 
cash. ' ' 

"Yes,  I  suppose  so.  When  a  fellow  gets  down  to  bed 
rock,  he'll  put  up  most  anything  to  make  a  raise." 

"There  are  many  besides  those  who  are  down  to  bed 
rock,  as  you  call  it,  who  are  glad  to  make  an  exchange  of 
that  kind, ' '  said  Mr.  Rosenbaum,  speaking  with  delibera 
tion  and  keeping  an  eye  upon  his  neighbor  in  the  fur  coat ; 
' '  but  their  reasons,  whatever  they  may  be,  do  not  concern 
us ;  our  business  is  simply  to  buy  the  gems  wherever  we 
can  find  them  and  ask  no  questions. ' ' 

By  this  time  a  fourth  man  was  approaching  in  their  direc 
tion,  evidently  the  individual  for  whom  the  man  in  the  fur 
coat  was  waiting,  and  Mr.  Rosenbaum,  thinking  it  time  to 
put  an  end  to  the  conversation,  rose  and  began  to  don  his 
mackintosh. 

305 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

"Surely  you  are  not  going  out  to-night !"  said  the  pro 
prietor  ;  ' '  better  stay  indoors,  and  I '  11  make  you  acquainted 
with  some  of  the  boys. ' ' 

"Much  obliged,  but  an  important  engagement  compels 
me  to  forego  that  pleasure,"  said  Mr.  Rosenbaum,  and, 
bidding  his  host  good-evening,  he  sallied  forth,  well  aware 
that  every  word  of  their  conversation  had  been  overheard 
by  their  silent  neighbor,  notwithstanding  the  voluminous 
documents  which  seemed  to  engross  his  attention. 

Passing  out  into  the  night,  he  found  the  storm  fast 
abating.  Stopping  at  a  news-stand,  he  inquired  for  a 
directory,  which  he  carefully  studied  for  a  few  moments, 
then  walked  down  the  principal  thoroughfare  until,  coming 
to  a  side  street,  he  turned  and  for  a  number  of  blocks 
passed  up  one  street  and  down  another,  plunging  at  last 
into  a  dark  alley. 

Upon  emerging  therefrom  a  block  away,  the  soft  felt  hat 
had  given  place  to  a  jaunty  cap,  while  a  pair  of  gold- 
rimmed  eye-glasses  perched  upon  the  aquiline  nose  gave  the 
wearer  a  decidedly  youthful  and  debonnaire  appearance. 
Approaching  a  secluded  house  in  a  dimly  lighted  location, 
he  glanced  sharply  at  the  number,  as  though  to  reassure 
himself,  then  running  swiftly  up  the  front  steps,  he  pulled 
the  door-bell  vigorously  and  awaited  developments.  After 
considerable  delay  the  door  was  unlocked  and  partially 
opened  by  a  hatchet-faced  woman,  who  peered  cautiously 
out,  her  features  lighted  by  the  uncertain  rays  of  a 
candle  which  the  draught  momentarily  threatened  to  extin 
guish. 

"Good-evening,  madam,"  said  the  stranger,  airily. 
"  Pardon  such  an  unseasonable  call,  but  I  wish  to  see  Mr. 
Levering,  who,  I  understand,  has  rooms  here." 

"There's  no  such  person  rooming  here,"  she  replied, 
sharply,  her  manner  indicating  that  this  bit  of  information 

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RUN   TO    COVER 

ended  the  interview,  but  her  interlocutor  was  not  to  be  so 
easily  dismissed. 

"No  such  person!"  he  exclaimed,  at  the  same  time 
scrutinizing  in  apparent  perplexity  a  small  card  which  he 
had  produced.  "  J.  D.  Levering,  545  Jefferson  Street; 
isn't  this  545,  madam?" 

"Yes,"  she  answered,  testily,  "this  is  545  ;  but  there's 
nobody  here  by  the  name  of  Lovering. ' ' 

The  young  man  turned  as  if  to  go.  "Have  you  any 
roomers  at  present  ?' '  he  inquired,  doubtfully. 

"  I  have  one,  but  his  name  is  Mannering. " 

"  Mannering,"  he  repeated,  thoughtfully,  once  more  fac 
ing  her;  "I  wonder  if  I  am  not  mistaken  in  the  name? 
Will  you  kindly  describe  Mr.  Mannering?" 

The  woman  hesitated,  eying  him  suspiciously.  "  He 
ain't  likely  to  be  the  man  you  want,"  she  said,  slowly, 
"  for  he  don't  have  no  callers,  and  he  never  goes  anywhere, 
except  out  of  the  city  once  in  a  while  on  business.  He's 
an  oldish  man,  with  dark  hair  and  beard  streaked  with  gray, 
and  he  wears  dark  glasses. ' ' 

' '  Ah,  no, ' '  the  young  man  interrupted  hastily,  ' '  that  is 
not  the  man  at  all ;  the  man  I  am  looking  for  is  rather 
young  and  a  decided  blond.  I  am  sorry  to  have  troubled 
you,  madam  ;  I  beg  a  thousand  pardons, ' '  and  with  profuse 
apologies  he  bowed  himself  down  the  steps,  to  the  evident 
relief  of  the  landlady. 

As  the  door  closed  behind  him,  Mr.  Rosenbaum  paused 
a  moment  to  reconnoitre.  The  house  he  had  just  left  was 
the  only  habitable  building  visible  in  the  immediate  vicinity, 
but  a  few  rods  farther  down  the  street  was  a  small  cabin, 
whose  dilapidated  appearance  indicated  that  it  was  unoccu 
pied.  Approaching  the  cabin  cautiously,  Mr.  Rosenbaum 
tried  the  door ;  it  offered  but  slight  resistance,  and,  enter 
ing,  he  found  it,  as  he  had  surmised,  empty  and  deserted. 

307 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

Stationing  himself  near  a  window  which  overlooked  No. 
545,  he  regarded  the  isolated  dwelling  with  considerable 
interest.  It  was  a  two-story  structure  with  a  long  extension 
in  the  rear,  only  one  story  in  height.  With  the  exception 
of  a  dim  light  in  this  rear  portion,  the  house  was  entirely 
dark,  which  led  Mr.  Rosenbaum  to  the  conclusion  that  the 
landlady's  private  apartments  were  in  this  part  of  the  build 
ing  and  remote  from  the  room  occupied  by  her  lodger, 
which  he  surmised  to  be  the  front  room  on  the  second  floor, 
a  side  window  of  which  faced  the  cabin. 

For  more  than  an  hour  Mr.  Rosenbaum  remained  at  his 
post,  and  at  last  had  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  the  tall  figure 
in  the  fur  coat  approaching  down  the  dimly  lighted  street. 
He  ascended  the  steps  of  545,  let  himself  in  with  a  night- 
key,  and  a  moment  later  the  gas  in  the  upper  front  room 
was  turned  on,  showing  Mr.  Rosenbaum 's  surmise  to  be 
correct.  For  an  instant  the  flaring  flame  revealed  a  pale 
face  without  the  dark  glasses,  and  with  a  full,  dark  beard 
tinged  with  gray ;  then  it  was  lowered  and  the  window- 
blinds  were  closely  drawn,  precluding  the  possibility  of  fur 
ther  observation.  The  face  was  like  and  yet  unlike  what 
Mr.  Rosenbaum  had  expected  to  see ;  he  determined  upon 
a  nearer  and  better  view,  without  the  dark  glasses,  before 
making  any  decisive  move. 

The  following  evening,  as  soon  as  it  was  dusk,  found  Mr. 
Rosenbaum  again  at  the  window  of  the  deserted  cabin, 
keenly  observant  of  No.  545.  A  faint  light  burned  in  the 
rear  of  the  lower  floor,  while  in  the  front  room  upstairs  a 
fire  was  evidently  burning  in  an  open  grate,  the  rest  of  the 
house  being  in  darkness.  Presently  a  man's  figure,  tall  and 
well  formed,  could  be  seen  pacing  up  and  down  the  room, 
appearing,  vanishing,  and  reappearing  in  the  wavering  fire 
light.  For  nearly  an  hour  he  continued  his  perambulation, 
his  hands  clasped  behind  him  as  though  absorbed  in  deep 

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thought.  At  last,  arousing  himself  from  his  revery,  the 
man  looked  at  his  watch  and  vanished,  reappearing  ten 
minutes  later  at  the  front  door,  in  the  usual  fur  coat  and 
cap,  and,  descending  the  steps,  turned  towards  town  and 
proceeded  leisurely  down  the  street,  Mr.  Rosenbaum  fol 
lowing  at  some  distance,  but  always  keeping  him  in  view 
and  gradually  diminishing  the  distance  between  them  as 
the  thoroughfare  became  more  crowded,  till  they  were 
nearly  opposite  each  other. 

Finally,  the  man  paused  before  a  restaurant  and,  turning, 
looked  carefully  up  and  down  the  street.  For  the  first  time 
he  observed  Mr.  Rosenbaum  and  seemed  to  regard  him  with 
close  attention,  but  the  latter  gentleman  was  absorbed  in 
the  contemplation  of  an  assortment  of  diamonds  and  various 
gems  displayed  in  a  jeweller's  window,  directly  opposite  the 
restaurant.  In  the  mirrored  back  of  the  show-case  the  res 
taurant  was  plainly  visible,  and  Mr.  Rosenbaum  noted  with 
satisfaction  the  other's  evident  interest  in  himself,  and  con 
tinued  to  study  the  contents  of  the  show-case  till  the  man 
had  entered  the  restaurant,  seating  himself  at  one  of  the 
unoccupied  tables.  Having  observed  his  man  well  started 
on  the  first  course  of  dinner,  Mr.  Rosenbaum  crossed  the 
street  slowly,  entered  the  restaurant  and  with  a  pre-occupied 
air  seated  himself  at  the  same  table  with  Mr.  Mannering. 
After  giving  his  order,  he  proceeded  to  unfold  the  evening 
paper  laid  beside  his  plate,  without  even  a  glance  at  his 
vis-a-vis.  His  thoughts,  however,  were  not  on  the  printed 
page,  but  upon  the  man  opposite,  whom  he  had  followed 
from  city  to  city,  hearing  of  him  by  various  names  and 
under  various  guises ;  hitherto  unable  to  obtain  more  than 
a  fleeting  glimpse  of  him,  but  now  brought  face  to  face. 

"Alias  Henry  J.  Mannering  at  last!"  he  commented 
mentally,  as  he  refolded  his  paper ;  ' '  you  have  led  me  a 
long  chase,  my  man,  but  you  and  I  will  now  have  our  little 

3°9 


THAT    MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

game,  and  I  will  force  you  to  show  your  hand  before  it  is 
over ! ' ' 

Glancing  casually  across  at  his  neighbor,  he  found  the 
dark  glasses  focussed  upon  himself  with  such  fixity  that  he 
responded  with  a  friendly  nod,  and,  making  some  trivial  re 
mark,  found  Mr.  Mannering  not  at  ail  averse  to  conversation. 

A  few  commonplaces  were  exchanged  until  the  arrival  of 
Mr.  Rosenbaum's  order,  when  the  other  remarked, — 

"Evidently  you  do  not  find  the  cuisine  of  the  Clifton 
House  entirely  satisfactory." 

"It  is  very  good,"  Mr.  Rosenbaum  answered,  indiffer 
ently,  ' '  but  an  occasional  change  is  agreeable.  By  the 
way,  sir,  have  I  met  you  at  the  Clifton  ?  I  do  not  remember 
to  have  had  that  pleasure." 

"We  have  not  met,"  replied  the  other.  "I  saw  you 
there  last  evening,  however,  as  I  happened  in  soon  after 
your  arrival. ' ' 

"Ah,  so?     I  am  very  deficient  in  remembering  faces." 

Mr.  Mannering  hesitated  a  moment,  then  remarked  with 
a  smile,  "I,  on  the  contrary,  am  quite  observant  of  faces, 
and  yours  seems  somewhat  familiar ;  have  I  not  seen  you 
elsewhere  than  here  ?' ' 

Mr.  Rosenbaum  raised  his  eyebrows  in  amusement.  "  It 
is  very  possible  you  have,  my  dear  sir ;  I  travel  constantly, 
and  for  aught  that  I  know  you  may  have  seen  me  in  nearly 
every  city  on  the  globe.  May  I  inquire  your  business,  sir? 
Do  you  also  travel  ?' ' 

' '  No, ' '  said  Mr.  Mannering,  slowly,  but  apparently  re 
lieved  by  Mr.  Rosenbaum's  answer,  "  I  am  not  engaged  in 
any  particular  line  of  business  at  present.  I  am  interested 
in  mining  to  a  considerable  extent,  and  am  out  here  just 
now  looking  after  my  properties.  How  do  you  find  busi 
ness  in  your  line  ?' ' 

Mr.   Rosenbaum    shook    his    head  with  a  slight    shrug. 
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RUN   TO    COVER 

''Nothing  so  far  to  make  it  worth  my  while  to  stay.  You 
see,  sir,  for  such  a  trade  as  ours  we  want  only  the  finest 
gems  that  can  be  bought;  we  have  no  use  for  ordinary 
stones,  and  that  is  all  I  have  seen  here  so  far ; "  and,  hav 
ing  thrown  out  his  bait,  he  awaited  results. 

A  long  pause  followed,  while  Mr.  Mannering  toyed  with 
his  fork,  drawing  numerous  diagrams  on  the  table-cloth. 
"I  think,"  he  said  at  last,  slowly,  "that  I  could  get  you 
one  or  two  fine  diamonds  if  you  cared  to  buy  and  would 
give  anything  like  their  true  valuation. ' ' 

"  That  would  depend,  of  course,  upon  the  quality  of  the 
diamonds  ;  really  fine  gems  we  are  always  ready  to  buy  and 
to  pay  a  good  price  for. ' ' 

"If  I  am  any  judge  of  diamonds,  these  are  valuable 
stones,"  said  Mr.  Mannering,  "and  the  owner  of  them, 
who  is  a  friend  of  mine,  being  himself  a  connoisseur  in 
that  line,  would  not  be  likely  to  entertain  any  false  ideas 
regarding  their  value." 

"  And  your  friend  wishes  to  sell  them?" 

"  I  am  inclined  to  think  that  he  might  dispose  of  one  or 
two  for  a  sufficient  consideration,  subject,  however,  to  one 
condition, — that  no  questions  will  be  asked." 

"That  goes  without  saying,  my  dear  sir;  asking  ques 
tions  is  not  our  business.  We  are  simply  looking  for  the 
finest  stones  that  money  can  buy,  without  regard  to  any 
thing  else.  Perhaps,"  added  Mr.  Rosenbaum,  tentatively, 
"  we  might  arrange  with  your  friend  for  a  meeting  between 
the  three  of  us. ' ' 

"  That  would  be  impracticable,"  Mr.  Mannering  replied  ; 
"he  is  out  of  the  city  ;  and  furthermore  I  know  he  would 
not  care  to  appear  in  the  transaction,  but  would  prefer  to 
have  me  conduct  the  negotiations.  I  was  going  to  suggest 
that  if  you  were  to  remain  here  a  few  days,  I  shall  see  my 
friend  in  a  day  or  so,  as  I  am  going  out  to  look  over  some 

3" 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

mining  properties  in  which  we  are  both  interested,  and  I 
could  bring  in  some  of  the  gems  with  me,  and  we  might 
then  see  what  terms  we  could  make. ' ' 

"I  can  remain  over,  sir,  if  you  can  make  it  an  object 
for  me,  and  if  the  stones  prove  satisfactory  I  have  no  doubt 
we  can  make  terms.  Why,  sir,"  Mr.  Rosenbaum  leaned 
across  the  table  and  his  voice  assumed  a  confidential  tone, 
"money  would  be  no  object  with  me  if  I  could  get  one  or 
two  particular  gems  that  I  want.  For  instance,  I  have  one 
diamond  that  I  would  go  to  the  ends  of  the  earth  and  pay 
a  small  fortune  when  I  got  there,  if  I  could  only  find  a  per 
fect  match  for  it !"  and  he  launched  forth  upon  an  enthusi 
astic  description  of  the  stone,  expatiating  upon  its  enormous 
size,  its  wonderful  brilliancy  and  perfection,  adding  in  con 
clusion,  ' '  and  its  workmanship  shows  it  to  be  at  least  two 
hundred  years  old  !  Think  of  that,  sir !  What  would  I 
not  give  to  be  able  to  match  it !" 

A  peculiar  expression  flitted  over  his  listener's  face,  not 
unobserved  by  Mr.  Rosenbaum.  He  made  no  immediate 
response,  however,  but  when  at  last  the  two  men  separated, 
it  was  with  the  agreement  that  they  should  dine  together  at 
the  same  cafe  three  days  later,  when  Mr.  Mannering  would 
have  returned  from  his  conference  with  his  friend,  at  which 
time,  if  the  latter  cared  to  dispose  of  his  jewels,  they  would 
be  submitted  for  inspection. 

Upon  retiring  to  his  room  that  night,  Mr.  Rosenbaum 
sat  for  some  time  in  deep  abstraction,  and  when  he  finally 
turned  off  the  gas,  he  murmured, — 

"  He  will  produce  the  jewels  all  right,  and  may  heaven 
preserve  us  both  from  the  hoodoo  ! ' ' 

For  the  two  days  next  ensuing,  Mr.  Rosenbaum  watched 
closely  the  arrivals  in  the  city,  but,  notwithstanding  his 
vigilance,  there  slipped  in  unaware,  on  the  evening  of  the 
second  day,  a  quiet,  unassuming  man,  who  went  to  the 

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Windsor  Hotel,  registering  there  as  "A.  J.  Johnson,  Chi 
cago. "  At  a  late  hour,  while  Mr.  Rosenbaum,  in  the 
solitude  of  his  own  room,  was  perfecting  his  plans  for  the 
following  day,  Mr.  Johnson,  who  was  making  a  tour  of  in 
spection  among  the  leading  hotels,  sauntered  carelessly  into 
the  office  of  the  Clifton.  He  seemed  rather  socially 
inclined,  and  soon  was  engaged  in  conversation  with  the 
proprietor  and  a  dozen  of  the  ' '  boys, ' '  all  of  whom  were 
informed  that  he  was  travelling  through  the  West  on  the 
lookout  for  "snaps"  in  the  way  of  mining  investments. 
This  announcement  produced  general  good  feeling,  and 
there  were  not  wanting  plenty  who  offered  to  take  Mr. 
Johnson  around  the  city  on  the  following  day  and  introduce 
him  to  the  leading  mining  men  and  promoters. 

"Much  obliged,  boys,"  said  Mr.  Johnson,  "but  there's 
no  rush.  I  expect  to  meet  some  friends  here  in  a  few  days, 
and  till  they  come  I  shall  simply  look  around  on  the  q.  t., 
you  understand,  and  make  some  observations  for  myself. 
And  that  reminds  me,  gentlemen, ' '  he  added,  ' '  do  any  of 
you  happen  to  know  a  man  by  the  name  of  Mannering,  who 
is  interested  in  mines  out  here  ?' ' 

"  Mannering?"  answered  one  of  the  group  ;  "  there's  a 
man  by  that  name  has  been  around  here  off  and  on  for  the 
last  two  or  three  months ;  but  I  didn't  know  he  was  inter 
ested  in  mines  to  any  extent,  though  he  seems  to  have 
plenty  of  money." 

"  I  think  that  is  the  man  I  have  in  mind ;  will  you  de 
scribe  him  ?' ' 

"Well,  he's  tall,  about  middle  age,  rather  gray,  wears 
blue  glasses,  and  never  has  anything  to  say  to  anybody ;  a 
queer  sort  of  fellow. ' ' 

Mr.  Johnson  nodded,  but  before  he  could  reply,  another 
in  the  group  remarked,  "  Oh,  that's  the  fellow  you  mean, 
is  it?  I've  seen  him  at  the  Royal  Cafe  for  the  last  six 


THAT    MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

weeks,  and  in  all  that  time  he's  never  exchanged  a  dozen 
words  with  anybody,  till  here,  the  other  night,  that  diamond 
Dutchman  of  yours, ' '  addressing  the  proprietor  of  the  Clif 
ton,  "  came  waltzing  in  there,  and  I'll  be  hanged  if  the  two 
didn't  get  as  confidential  over  their  dinner  as  two  old  women 
over  a  cup  of  tea. ' ' 

Mr.  Johnson  turned  towards  the  proprietor  with  a  quiet 
smile.  "  The  '  diamond  Dutchman!  '  Is  he  a  guest  of  your 
house?" 

"Mr.  Rosenbaum  ?     Yes;  do  you  know  him  ?" 

"Not  by  name,  but  I  think  I  have  seen  the  gentleman 
on  my  travels;  engaged  in  the  jewelry  business,  isn't  he, 
and  carries  his  advertisements  on  his  shirt-front  and  fin 
gers  ?' ' 

' '  That's  the  man, ' '  the  proprietor  replied,  amid  a  general 
laugh.  "Why?  He's  all  right,  isn't  he?" 

"All  right  for  aught  that  I  know,  sir;  I  haven't  the 
pleasure  of  the  gentleman's  acquaintance,  though  possibly 
I  may  have  if  we  both  remain  here  long  enough,"  and  he 
carelessly  turned  the  subject  of  conversation. 

A  little  later,  as  Mr.  Johnson  left  the  Clifton,  he  solilo 
quized,  "Well,  if  I  haven't  exactly  killed  two  birds  with 
one  stone,  I  think  I've  snared  two  birds  in  one  trap.  Since 
coming  West  I  haven't  located  one  without  seeing  or  hear 
ing  of  the  other;  it's  my  belief  they're  'pals,'  and  if  I 
can  pull  in  the  pair,  so  much  the  better. ' ' 

The  following  evening  found  Mr.  Johnson  in  the  vicin 
ity  of  the  Royal  Cafe-;  having  discovered  a  small  news 
stand  opposite,  he  strolled  in  thither,  and,  buying  a  couple 
of  papers,  seated  himself  in  a  quiet  corner,  prepared  to 
take  observations.  He  had  not  waited  long  when  Mr. 
Mannering  made  his  appearance,  and,  after  pausing  a 
moment  to  look  up  and  down  the  street,  entered  the 
restaurant.  He  had  been  seated  but  a  moment  when  Mr. 

3H 


RUN   TO    COVER 

Rosenbaura  appeared,  crossing  the  street,  having  evidently 
left  the  jeweller's  store,  and  also  entered  the  cafe.  The 
two  men  shook  hands  and  immediately  withdrew  to  one  of 
the  private  boxes.  Mr.  Johnson  had  visited  the  Royal 
Cafe  earlier  in  the  day  and  made  himself  familiar  with  its 
interior  arrangement.  Knowing  the  box  just  taken  to  be 
No.  3,  and  that  No.  4  directly  opposite  was  unoccupied,  he 
at  once  proceeded  across  the  street  to  the  restaurant. 
Stopping  at  the  cashier's  desk,  he  said  in  a  low  tone, — 

"I  expect  some  friends  later,  and  don't  wish  to  be 
disturbed  till  they  come  ;  understand  ?' ' 

The  man  nodded,  and  Mr.  Johnson  passed  on  noiselessly 
into  No.  4.  Meanwhile,  the  occupants  of  No.  3  having 
received  their  orders,  dismissed  the  waiter,  with  the  in 
formation  that  when  they  needed  his  services  they  would 
ring  for  him.  Mr.  Mannering  was  visibly  excited,  so 
much  so  that  his  dinner  remained  almost  untasted,  and  the 
other,  observing  his  evident  agitation,  pushed  aside  his  own 
plate  and,  folding  his  arms  upon  the  table,  inquired  in 
differently, — 

"Well,  my  dear  sir,  what  was  your  friend's  decision?" 

For  reply,  the  other  drew  from  his  pocket  a  small  case, 
which  he  silently  handed  across  the  table.  Mr.  Rosenbaum 
opened  it,  disclosing,  as  he  did  so,  a  pair  of  diamonds  of 
moderate  size,  but  of  unusual  brilliancy  and  perfectly 
matched.  He  examined  them  silently,  scrutinizing  them 
closely,  while  his  face  indicated  considerable  dissatisfac 
tion. 

"  What  does  your  friend  expect  for  these?"  he  asked  at 
length. 

"What  will  you  give  for  them?"  was  the  counter- 
question. 

"  I  do  not  care  to  set  a  price  on  them,  for  I  do  not  want 
them,"  he  replied,  rather  shortly. 

3*5 


THAT    MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

"  I  think,"  said  Mr.  Mannering,  "that  my  friend  would 
dispose  of  them  at  a  reasonable  figure,  as  he  is  at  present 
in  need  of  ready  cash  with  which  to  consummate  an  im 
portant  mining  negotiation. ' ' 

After  considerable  fencing  and  parrying,  Mr.  Rosen- 
baum  made  an  offer  for  the  gems,  to  which  Mr.  Mannering 
demurred. 

"  Show  me  a  higher  class  of  gems  and  I  will  offer  you  a 
better  price,"  said  Mr.  Rosenbaum,  finally  seeming  to 
grow  impatient.  "  Show  me  one  like  this,  for  instance,  and 
I  will  offer  you  a  small  fortune,"  and  opening  a  case  which 
he  had  quickly  drawn  from  his  pocket,  he  took  from  it  an 
enormous  diamond,  beside  whose  dazzling  brilliancy  the 
pair  of  gems  under  consideration  seemed  suddenly  to  grow 
dim  and  lustreless.  He  held  it  up  and  a  thousand  rays  of 
prismatic  light  flashed  in  as  many  different  directions. 

"What  do  you  think  of  that,  my  dear  sir?  When 
I  can  find  a  match  for  that  magnificent  stone,  we  can 
fill  an  order  which  we  have  held  for  more  than  twelve 
months  from  the  royal  house  in  Germany.  But  where  will 
I  find  it?" 

Twirling  the  gem  carelessly  between  his  thumb  and 
finger,  he  watched  the  face  of  his  companion  and  saw  it 
change  to  a  deathly  pallor. 

' '  May  I  see  that  for  one  moment  ?' '  he  asked,  and  his 
voice  sounded  unnatural  and  constrained,  while  the  hand 
which  he  extended  across  the  table  trembled  visibly. 

"Most  certainly,  sir,"  Mr.  Rosenbaum  replied,  and,  in 
compliance  with  the  request,  handed  to  Mr.  Mannering  the 
gem  which  the  latter  had  himself  disposed  of  less  than 
three  months  before  in  one  of  the  large  Western  cities. 
Nothing  could  escape  the  piercing  eyes  now  fastened  upon 
that  face  with  its  strange  pallor,  its  swiftly  changing  ex 
pression.  Unconscious  of  this  scrutiny,  Mr.  Mannering 

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RUN   TO    COVER 

regarded  the  gem  silently,  then  removed  his  glasses  for  a 
closer  inspection.  Having  satisfied  his  curiosity,  he  re 
turned  the  stone  to  Mr.  Rosenbaum,  and  as  he  did  so, 
found  the  eyes  of  the  latter  fixed  not  upon  the  gem,  but 
upon  his  own  face.  Something  in  their  glance  seemed  to 
disconcert  him  for  an  instant,  but  he  quickly  recovered 
himself,  and,  replacing  the  colored  glasses,  remarked  with 
a  forced  composure, — 

"That  is  a  magnificent  stone.  May  I  ask  when  and 
where  you  found  it?" 

"  I  picked  it  up  in  one  of  your  cities  some  three  months 
ago,  maybe,  more  or  less. ' ' 

' '  You  bought  it  in  this  country,  then  ?  Why  may  you  not 
expect  to  match  it  here  ?' ' 

' '  Simply  on  the  theory,  my  dear  sir,  that  the  lightning 
never  strikes  twice  in  the  same  place. ' ' 

' '  Well,  sir, ' '  said  Mr.  Mannering,  calmly,  ' '  I  will  show 
you  a  stone  so  perfect  a  match  for  that,  you  yourself  could 
not  distinguish  between  the  two." 

' '  You  have  such  a  diamond  ! ' '  Mr.  Rosenbaum  ex 
claimed;  "  why  then  are  you  wasting  time  with  these?" 
and  he  pushed  the  smaller  diamonds  from  him  with  a  ges 
ture  of  contempt.  "Why  did  you  not  produce  it  in  the 
first  place?" 

' '  Because, ' '  replied  Mr.  Mannering,  his  composure  now 
fully  restored,  "  I  do  not  propose  to  produce  it  until  I 
know  somewhere  near  what  you  will  give  for  it." 

"My  dear  sir,"  Mr.  Rosenbaum's  tones  became  eager, 
"as  I  have  already  told  you,  if  I  can  match  this  stone," 
placing  it  on  the  table  between  them,  "  I  will  pay  you  a 
small  fortune  ;  money  would  be  no  object ;  you  could  have 
your  own  price. ' ' 

Without  further  words,  Mr.  Mannering  drew  forth  a 
small  package,  which  he  carefully  opened,  and,  taking 


THAT    MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

therefrom  an  exact  duplicate  of  the  wonderful  gem,  placed 
it  upon  the  table  beside  the  latter. 

With  a  smile  which  the  other  did  not  see,  Mr.  Rosen- 
baum  bent  his  head  to  examine  the  stones ;  he  had  recog 
nized  his  man  in  the  brief  instant  that  their  eyes  had  met, 
and  now,  within  his  grasp,  lay,  as  he  well  knew  from  the 
description  which  he  carried,  two  of  the  finest  diamonds  in 
the  famous  Mainwaring  collection  of  jewels,  stolen  less 
than  six  months  before ;  his  triumph  was  almost  com 
plete. 

Meanwhile,  Mr.  Johnson,  who  had  overheard  much  of 
their  conversation,  was  congratulating  himself  upon  the 
near  success  of  his  own  schemes,  when  the  omciousness  of 
a  waiter  overthrew  the  plans  of  all  parties  and  produced 
the  greatest  confusion.  Catching  sight  of  the  gentleman 
waiting  in  No.  4,  he  ignored  the  cashier's  instructions  and 
entered  the  box  to  take  his  order.  Mr.  Johnson's  reply, 
low  and  brief  though  it  was,  caught  the  quick  ear  of  Mr. 
Rosenbaum,  who  muttered  under  his  breath, — 

"  The  hoodoo  !   confound  him  !" 

At  the  same  instant  a  draught  lifted  the  curtain  to  No.  3, 
revealing  to  the  astonished  Mannering  a  view  of  Mr.  John 
son's  profile  in  the  opposite  box.  His  own  face  grew 
white  as  the  table-cloth  before  him  ;  he  reached  wildly  for 
the  diamond,  but  both  gems  were  gone,  and  Rosenbaum 
confronted  him  with  a  most  sinister  expression. 

"  My  diamond  !"  he  gasped. 

"The  diamonds  are  safe,"  replied  the  other  in  a  low 
tone,  "and  you,"  addressing  Mannering  by  his  true  name, 
"  the  more  quiet  you  are  just  now  the  better." 

The  elder  man's  face  grew  livid  with  rage  and  fear,  and, 
rising  suddenly  to  his  feet,  his  tall  form  towered  far  above 
Rosenbaum. 

"Wretch!"   he   hissed,   with  an  oath,    "you   have  be- 


RUN   TO    COVER 

trayed  me,  curse  you  ! ' '  and,  dealing  the  smaller  man  a 
blow  which  floored  him,  he  rushed  from  the  box. 

In  an  instant  Rosenbaum  staggered  to  his  feet,  and, 
pausing  only  long  enough  to  make  sure  of  the  safety  of  the 
jewels,  rushed  from  the  cafe,  reaching  the  street  just  in 
time  to  see  his  man  jump  into  a  cab,  which  whirled  swiftly 
and  started  down  the  street  at  break-neck  speed.  Two 
cabmen,  talking  at  a  short  distance,  hurried  to  the  scene, 
and,  calling  one  of  them,  Mr.  Rosenbaum  hastily  took  a 
second  cab  and  started  in  pursuit  of  the  first,  but  not  before 
he  had  caught  a  glimpse  of  Mr.  Johnson  making  active 
preparations  to  follow  them  both. 

' '  Hang  that  fellow  ! "  he  muttered,  as  he  heard  wheels 
behind  him.  "  This  is  the  third  time  he  has  spoiled  the 
game;  but  I've  got  the  winning  hand,  and  he'll  not  beat 
me  out  of  it !" 

By  this  time  the  first  cab,  having  turned  a  corner  a  short 
distance  ahead,  was  out  of  sight,  but  Rosenbaum,  con 
vinced  from  the  direction  taken  of  its  destination,  and 
knowing  a  more  direct  route,  shouted  to  the  driver  what 
streets  to  follow,  and  to  come  out  upon  the  alley  near  No. 
545  Jefferson  Street. 

"The  old  fellow  will  think  I've  lost  the  trail  when  he 
finds  he's  not  followed,"  he  soliloquized,  amid  the  joltings 
of  the  vehicle,  "and  maybe  it  will  throw  the  hoodoo  off 
the  track.", 

But  Mr.  Johnson  had  no  intention  of  being  thrown  off. 
He  had  seen  cab  No.  2  take  a  different  course,  and,  having 
lost  sight  of  No.  i,  decided  that  a  bird  in  the  hand  would 
be  worth  two  in  the  bush,  and  that  he  would  follow  up  the 
"pal." 

As  cab  No.  2  approached  Jefferson  Street,  Rosenbaum 
called  to  the  driver  to  slacken  and  drive  on  the  dark  side 
of  the  alley.  He  jumped  out  to  reconnoitre ;  a  cab  was 


THAT    MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

just  stopping  at  No.  545,  a  tall  figure  got  out  and  hastily 
disappeared  up  the  steps,  while  the  cab  whirled  rapidly 
away. 

' '  Turn  about,  drive  back  quietly,  and  answer  no  ques 
tions, "  Rosenbaum  said,  slipping  a  bill  into  the  driver's 
hand,  and  then  glided  swiftly  through  the  shadow  to  No. 
545.  His  manoeuvres  were  seen,  however,  by  Mr.  John 
son,  who  immediately  proceeded  to  follow  his  example. 

Running  quickly  up  the  steps  to  No.  545,  Rosenbaum 
produced  a  bunch  of  skeleton  keys,  which  he  proceeded  to 
try.  The  first  was  useless,  the  second  ditto ;  he  heard 
steps  approaching;  the  third  fitted  the  lock,  but,  as  it 
turned,  a  hand  was  laid  upon  his  shoulder,  a  dark  lantern 
flashed  in  his  face,  and  a  voice  said, — 

"  Your  game  is  up,  my  man  ;  you  had  better  come  with 
me  as  peaceably  as  possible  ! ' ' 

For  answer,  the  other  turned  quickly,  and,  without  a 
word,  lifted  the  lapel  of  his  coat,  where  a  star  gleamed 
brightly  in  the  rays  of  the  lantern. 

The  hand  holding  the  lantern  dropped  suddenly,  and  its 
owner  ejaculated,  ' '  Heavens  and  earth  !  what  does  this 
mean  ?  Who  are  you  ?' ' 

' '  I  am  Dan  McCabe,  at  your  service, ' '  was  the  cool 
reply ;  then,  as  the  other  remained  speechless  with  aston 
ishment,  McCabe  continued  :  "  I've  no  time  to  waste  with 
you,  Mr.  Merrick  ;  we  may  have  a  desperate  piece  of  work 
on  hand ;  but  if  you'  11  come  with  me,  I  give  you  my  word 
for  it  that  before  this  job  is  over  you'll  meet  the  biggest 
surprise  of  your  life." 

Pushing  open  the  door,  McCabe  noiselessly  climbed  the 
stairs,  beckoning  Merrick  to  follow.  By  the  light  of  the 
dark  lantern  he  selected  the  door  leading  to  the  room  occu 
pied  by  Mannering,  and,  after  listening  a  moment,  nodded 
significantly  to  Merrick. 

320 


RUN   TO    COVER 

"Is  he  there ?' '   the  latter  whispered. 

' '  He  is  there, ' '  said  McCabe,  grimly,  ' '  but  not  the  man 
you  are  looking  for.  I'll  tell  you  who  is  there,"  and  he 
whispered  in  his  ear. 

Merrick  staggered  as  if  from  a  blow.  "Great  God!" 
he  exclaimed  aloud. 

There  was  a  sudden  sound  within  as  of  some  one  fright 
ened  and  moving  hastily.  McCabe  again  called  the  man 
by  name,  and  demanded  admittance.  There  was  a  mo 
ment's  silence,  and  then  McCabe,  with  Merrick' s  aid, 
forced  in  the  door,  and  as  it  yielded  there  came  from  within 
the  sharp  report  of  a  revolver,  followed  by  a  heavy  groan. 


CHAPTER    XXVI 

MAINWARING   VS.    MAINWARING 

THE  case  of  Mainwaring  versus  Mainwaring  had  been 
set  for  the  opening  of  the  December  term  of  court,  being 
the  first  case  on  the  docket.  The  intervening  weeks, 
crowded  with  preparation  for  the  coming  litigation,  had 
passed,  and  now,  on  the  eve  of  the  contest,  each  side  having 
marshalled  its  forces,  awaited  the  beginning  of  the  fray, 
each  alike  confident  of  victory  and  each  alike  little  dream 
ing  of  the  end.  From  near  and  far  was  gathered  an  array  of 
legal  talent  as  well  as  of  expert  testimony  seldom  equalled, 
all  for  the  purpose  of  determining  the  validity  or  invalidity 
of  a  bit  of  paper — yellow  with  age,  time-worn  and  musty 
— which  stood  as  an  insurmountable  barrier  between  Ralph 
Mainwaring  and  the  fulfilment  of  his  long  cherished  project. 

The  Fair  Oaks  tragedy  still  remained  as  deep  a  mystery 
as  on  the  morning  when,  in  all  its  horror  of  sickening 
detail,  it  had  startled  and  shocked  the  entire  community. 
No  trace  of  the  murderer  had  been  as  yet  reported,  and 
even  Mr.  Whitney  had  been  forced  to  acknowledge  in 
reply  to  numerous  inquiries  that  he  had  of  late  received  no 
tidings  whatever  from  Merrick,  either  of  success  or  failure. 

Since  the  announcement  of  Harold  Mainwaring  at  the 
club  that  he  would  not  touch  a  farthing  of  the  Mainwaring 
estate  until  not  only  his  own  name  should  be  cleared  of  the 
slightest  imputation  of  murder,  but  until  the  murder  itself 
should  be  avenged,  it  had  been  rumored  that  the  party  at 
the  Waldorf  was  in  possession  of  facts  containing  the  clue 
to  the  whole  mystery.  Though  this  was  mere  conjecture, 

322 


MAINWARING  vs.   MAINWARING 

it  was  plainly  evident  that  whatever  secrets  that  party  held 
in  its  possession  were  not  likely  to  be  divulged  before  their 
time.  The  party  had  been  augmented  by  the  arrival  of  the 
senior  member  of  the  firm  of  Barton  &  Barton,  while  the 
register  of  the  Waldorf  showed  at  that  time  numerous  other 
arrivals  from  London,  all  of  whom  proved  to  be  individuals 
of  a  severely  judicial  appearance  and  on  extremely  intimate 
terms  with  the  original  Waldorf  party.  Of  the  business  of 
the  former,  however,  or  the  movements  of  the  latter,  noth 
ing  definite  could  be  learned.  Despatches  in  cipher  still 
flashed  daily  over  the  wires,  but  their  import  remained  a 
matter  of  the  merest  surmise  to  the  curious  world  outside. 

Ralph  Mainwaring,  on  the  contrary,  since  the  arrival  of 
his  London  attorneys,  Upham  and  Blackwell,  with  Graham, 
the  well-known  chirographical  expert,  had  seized  every  op 
portunity  for  rendering  himself  and  them  as  conspicuous  as 
possible,  while  his  boasts  of  their  well-laid  plans,  the  strong 
points  in  their  case,  and  their  ultimate  triumph,  formed  his 
theme  on  all  occasions.  Mr.  Whitney's  position  at  this 
time  was  not  an  enviable  one,  for  Ralph  Mainwaring,  having 
of  late  become  dimly  conscious  of  a  lack  of  harmony  be 
tween  himself  and  his  New  York  attorney,  took  special 
delight  in  frequently  flouting  his  opinions  and  advice  in  the 
presence  of  the  English  solicitors ;  but  that  gentleman, 
mindful  of  a  rapidly  growing  account,  wisely  pocketed  his 
pride,  and  continued  to  serve  his  client  with  the  most  urbane 
courtesy,  soothing  his  wounded  sensibilities  with  an  extra 
fee  for  every  snub. 

On  the  day  prior  to  that  set  for  the  opening  of  the  trial, 
among  the  numerous  equipages  drawn  up  at  one  of  the 
piers,  awaiting  an  incoming  ocean-liner,  was  the  Main- 
waring  carriage,  containing,  as  usual,  Ralph  Mainwaring, 
Upham  and  Blackwell,  and  Mr.  Whitney.  The  carriage 
and  its  occupants  formed  the  centre  of  attraction  to  a  con- 

323 


THAT    MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

siderable  portion  of  the  crowd,  until  attention  was  suddenly 
diverted  by  the  sight  of  a  stylish  turnout  in  the  shape  of  an 
elegant  trap  and  a  pair  of  superb  bays  driven  tandem,  which 
passed  the  Mainwaring  carriage  and  took  its  position  at 
some  distance  nearer  the  pier.  Seated  in  the  trap  were 
Harold  Mainwaring  and  Hugh  Mainwaring,  junior.  Their 
appearance  together  at  that  particular  time  and  place  excited 
no  little  wonder  and  comment,  especially  when,  the  gang 
plank  having  been  thrown  down,  the  young  men  left  the 
turnout  in  care  of  a  policeman  and  walked  rapidly  towards 
the  hurrying  stream  of  passengers,  followed  more  slowly  by 
Ralph  Mainwaring  and  his  party. 

All  was  explained  a  few  moments  later,  as  that  embodi 
ment  of  geniality,  William  Mainwaring  Thornton,  loomed 
up  in  the  crowd,  his  daughter  upon  one  arm,  upon  the 
other  Miss  Carleton,  and  accompanied  by  Mrs.  Hogarth 
and  the  usual  retinue  of  attendants. 

"  Looks  like  a  family  reunion,  by  George  !"  exclaimed 
one  of  the  on-lookers,  as  a  general  exchange  of  greetings 
ensued,  but  to  a  close  observer  it  was  evident  that  between 
some  members  of  the  different  parties  the  relations  were 
decidedly  strained.  No  so  with  Mr.  Thornton,  however  ; 
his  first  greetings  were  for  the  young  men. 

"Well,  well,  Hugh,  you  contumacious  young  rascal! 
how  are  you?  I  hear  you've  kicked  over  the  traces  and  set 
the  governor  and  his  sovereigns  at  defiance  !  Well,  you've 
shown  yourself  a  Mainwaring,  that's  all  I  have  to  say ! 
Here  is  a  young  lady,  however,  who  is  waiting  to  give  you 
a  piece  of  her  mind  ;  you'll  have  to  settle  with  her." 

"Papa!"  exclaimed  Edith  Thornton  in  faint  protest, 
her  fair  face  suffused  with  blushes  as  she  came  forward  to 
meet  her  lover,  while  her  father  turned  towards  Harold 
Mainwaring. 

"Well,  my  dear  sir,"  he  said,  extending  his  hand  with 
324 


MAINWARING  vs.   MAINWARING 

the  utmost  cordiality,  ' '  I  am  glad  to  meet  you  in  your  own 
proper  sphere  at  last ;  I  always  thought  you  were  far  too 
good  looking  for  a  secretary  !  But,  joking  aside,  my  dear 
boy,  let  me  assure  you  that  as  the  son  of  Harold  Scott 
Mainwaring,  one  of  the  most  royal  fellows  I  ever  knew,  I 
congratulate  you  and  wish  you  success. ' ' 

Deeply  touched  by  Mr.  Thornton's  kindness  and  his 
allusion  to  his  father,  the  young  man  thanked  him  with  con 
siderable  emotion. 

' '  That  is  all  right, ' '  the  elder  man  responded  heartily  ; 
' '  I  was  very  sorry  not  to  have  met  you  in  London,  but  I 
heard  the  particulars  of  your  story  from  Winifred,  and — 
well,  I  consider  her  a  very  level-headed  young  woman,  and 
I  think  you  are  to  be  congratulated  on  that  score  also." 

' '  No  one  is  better  aware  of  that  fact  than  I, ' '  said  the 
young  man,  warmly,  and  passed  on  to  meet  the  young 
ladies,  while  Mr.  Thornton  turned  to  confront  the  frowning 
face  of  Ralph  Mainwaring. 

"  Hello,  Mainwaring  !  what's  the  matter  ?  you  look  black 
as  a  thunder-cloud  !  Did  you  have  something  indigestible 
for  luncheon  ?' ' 

' '  Matter  enough  I  should  say, ' '  growled  the  other,  un 
successfully  trying  to  ignore  Mr.  Thornton's  outstretched 
hand,  ' '  to  find  you  hobnobbing  with  that  blackguard  ! ' ' 

Mr.  Thornton  glanced  over  his  shoulder  at  the  young 
people  with  a  comical  look  of  perplexity.  "  Well,  you  see 
how  it  is  yourself,  Mainwaring:  what  is  a  fellow  to  do? 
This  is  a  house  divided  against  itself,  as  it  were,  and  no 
matter  what  my  personal  sentiments  towards  you  might  be, 
I  find  myself  forced  to  maintain  a  position  of  strict  neu 
trality.  ' ' 

"  Neutrality  be  damned  !  you  had  better  maintain  better 
parental  government  in  your  own  family  ! ' ' 

"  As  you  do  in  yours,  for  instance. " 
325 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

"You  know  very  well,"  continued  Ralph  Mainwaring, 
flushing  angrily,  "  that  if  you  had  forbidden  Edith  marry 
ing  Hugh  under  present  conditions,  he  would  have  got 
down  off  his  high  horse  very  quickly." 

' '  That  is  something  I  would  never  do, ' '  Mr.  Thornton 
replied,  calmly,  ' '  for  two  reasons  ;  first,  I  have  never  gov 
erned  my  daughter  by  direct  commands  and  prohibitions, 
and,  second,  I  think  just  as  much  of  Hugh  Mainwaring 
without  his  father's  money  as  with  it;  more,  if  it  is  to  be 
accompanied  with  the  conditions  which  you  imposed." 

"Then  am  I  to  understand,"  demanded  the  other, 
angrily,  "  that  you  intend  to  go  against  me  in  this  matter?" 

"My  dear  Mainwaring,"  said  Mr.  Thornton,  much  as 
he  would  address  a  petulant  child,  ' '  this  is  all  the  merest 
nonsense.  I  am  not  going  against  you,  for  I  have  no  part 
in  this  contest ;  my  position  is  necessarily  neutral  ;  but  if 
you  want  my  opinion  of  the  whole  matter,  I  will  tell  you 
frankly  that  I  think,  for  once  in  your  life,  you  have  bitten 
off  more  than  you  can  swallow,  and  you  will  find  it  so 
before  long. ' ' 

' '  Perhaps  it  might  be  just  as  well  to  reserve  your  opinion 
till  it  is  called  for,"  the  other  answered,  shortly. 

"All  right,"  returned  Mr.  Thornton,  with  imperturbable 
good  humor ;  ' '  but  any  time  that  you  want  to  wager  a  thou 
sand  or  so  on  the  outcome  of  this  affair,  remember  the 
money  is  ready  for  you  ! ' ' 

The  conversation  changed,  but  Ralph  Mainwaring  was 
far  more  chagrined  and  annoyed  than  he  would  have  ac 
knowledged.  Mr.  Thornton's  words  rang  in  his  ears  till 
they  seemed  an  augury  of  defeat,  and,  though  outwardly  as 
dogged  and  defiant  as  ever,  he  was  unable  to  banish  them, 
or  to  throw  off  the  strange  sense  of  depression  which  fol 
lowed. 

Meanwhile,  amid   the  discordant  elements  surrounding 
326 


MAINWARING  vs.   MAINWARING 

them,  Harold  Mainwaring  and  Winifred  Carlcton  found 
little  opportunity  for  any  but  the  most  desultory  conversa 
tion,  but  happily  there  was  little  need  for  words  between 
them.  Heart  can  speak  to  heart  through  the  subtile  mag 
netism  of  a  hand-clasp,  or  the  swift  flash  from  eye  to 
eye,  conveying  meanings  for  which  words  often  prove  in 
adequate. 

' '  You  wrote  that  you  were  confident  of  victory,  and  your 
looks  bear  it  out,"  she  said,  with  a  radiant  smile;  "but  I 
would  have  come  just  the  same,  even  had  there  been  no 
hope  of  success  for  you. ' ' 

"  I  need  no  assurance  of  your  faith  and  loyalty,"  he  re 
plied,  gazing  tenderly  into  her  luminous  eyes,  "but  your 
coming  will  make  my  triumph  ten  times  sweeter. ' ' 

"  Of  course  you  will  spend  the  evening  with  us  at  our 
hotel, — uncle  cabled  for  apartments  at  the  Savoy, — and  I  am 
all  impatience  to  learn  whatever  you  are  at  liberty  to  tell 
me  concerning  your  case,  for  there  must  have  been  some 
wonderful  developments  in  your  favor  soon  after  your  arrival 
in  this  country,  you  have  seemed  so  much  more  hopeful ; 
and  do  not  let  me  forget,  I  have  something  to  show  you 
which  will  interest  you.  It  is  a  written  statement  by  Hugh 
Mainwaring  himself  regarding  this  identical  will  that  is 
causing  all  this  controversy. ' ' 

"  A  statement  of  Hugh  Mainwaring's  ! ' '  Harold  repeated 
in  astonishment ;  ' '  how  did  it  come  into  your  posses 
sion  ?" 

' '  That  is  the  strangest  part  of  it, ' '  she  replied,  hur 
riedly,  for  they  had  now  reached  the  carriages  in  waiting 
for  them.  "  I  received  it  through  the  mail,  from  America,  a 
few  days  before  I  left  London,  and  from — you  cannot  im 
agine  whom — Mr.  Merrick,  the  detective.  How  he  ever 
knew  my  address,  or  how  he  should  surmise  that  I  was  par 
ticularly  interested  in  you,"  she  blushed  very  prettily  with 

327 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

these    words,    ' '  is    more    than    I    can    understand,    how 
ever.  ' ' 

"I  think  I  can  explain  that  part  of  it,"  said  Harold, 
with  a  smile  ;  ' '  but  how  such  a  statement  ever  came  into 
his  hands  is  a  mystery  to  me.  I  will  see  you  this  evening 
without  fail,"  and,  assisting  Miss  Carleton  into  the  carriage, 
he  bade  her  au  revoir,  and  hastened  to  rejoin,  young  Main- 
waring. 

That  evening  witnessed  rather  a  novel  reception  in  the 
private  parlors  of  the  Savoy ;  both  parties  to  the  coming 
contest  being  entertained  by  their  mutual  friends.  When 
Harold  Mainwaring  finally  succeeded  in  securing  a  tete-d- 
tete  conversation  with  Miss  Carleton,  she  placed  in  his 
hands  a  small  packet,  saying, — 

"You  will  find  in  this  the  statement  of  which  I  spoke  to 
you,  and  I  wish  you  would  also  read  the  accompanying  note, 
and  explain  how  the  writer  came  to  have  so  good  an  under 
standing  of  the  situation." 

With  eager  haste  he  drew  forth  a  sheet  of  paper  little  less 
time-worn  and  yellowed  than  the  ancient  will  itself,  upon 
which  was  written,  in  the  methodical  business  hand  with 
which  he  was  so  familiar,  a  brief  statement  to  the  effect  that 
a  certain  accompanying  document  described  as  the  last  will 
and  testament  of  Ralph  Maxwell  Mainwaring  had  been 
drawn  and  executed  as  such  on  the  night  preceding  his 
death,  its  intent  and  purpose  being  to  reconvey  to  an  elder 
son  the  family  estate,  to  which  he  had  previously  forfeited 
all  right  and  title ;  that  efforts  made  to  communicate  with 
the  beneficiary  had  proved  unavailing,  as  he  had  left  the 
country  and  his  place  of  residence  was  unknown.  Then 
followed  Hugh  Mainwaring' s  signature.  At  the  bottom  of 
the  page,  however,  was  a  foot-note  of  much  later  date, 
which  put  a  different  complexion  on  the  foregoing,  and 
which  read  as  follows  : 

328 


MAINWARING  vs.   MAINWARING 

"  It  has  now  been  ascertained  for  a  certainty  that  the 
beneficiary  mentioned  in  the  accompanying  will  is  no 
longer  living.  I  have,  therefore,  a  clear  title  to  the  estate,  as 
it  would  revert  to  me  at  his  death.  The  document  itself 
is  worthless,  except  as  a  possible  means  of  silencing  that 
scoundrel,  Hobson,  should  he  attempt  to  reveal  anything  of 
the  past,  as  he  has  threatened  to  do,  and  for  this  purpose  1 
shall  retain  it  in  my  possession  until  such  time  as  I  make 
final  adjustment  of  my  affairs. 

"  HUGH  MAINWARING." 

' '  Ah, ' '  said  Harold  Mainwaring,  thoughtfully,  as  he 
suddenly  recalled  the  morning  when  he  had  discovered  Mer- 
rick  and  his  assistant  dragging  the  lake  at  Fair  Oaks,  "  I 
think  I  understand  how  this  paper  came  into  Merrick's 
possession.  It  was  evidently  kept  in  the  same  receptacle 
which  held  the  will,  but  in  my  haste  and  excitement  at  the 
discovery  of  the  will  I  must  have  overlooked  it.  The  box 
in  which  these  papers  were  kept  afterwards  fell  into  Mer 
rick's  hands,  and  he  must  have  found  this." 

"That  solves  one  riddle,  here  is  the  other,"  and  Miss 
Carleton  handed  her  lover  a  small  note,  covered  with  a  fine, 
delicate  chirography  whose  perfectly  formed  characters  re 
vealed  a  mind  accustomed  to  the  study  of  minute  details 
and  appreciative  of  their  significance.  He  opened  it  and 
read  the  following : 

"  MY  DEAR  Miss  CARLETON  : 

"  Pardon  the  liberty  I  take,  but,  thinking  the  enclosed 
bit  of  paper  might  be  of  some  possible  assistance  to  one  in 
whose  success  I  believe  you  are  deeply  interested,  I  send  it 
herewith,  as,  for  obvious  reasons,  I  deem  this  circuitous 
method  of  transmission  better  than  one  more  direct. 

"  As  when  taking  leave  of  you  on  board  the  '  Campania,' 
329 


THAT    MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

so  now,  permit  me  to  assure  you  that  if  I  can  ever  serve 
you  as  a  friend,  you  have  but  to  command  me. 
' '  Most  sincerely  yours, 

"C.   D.   MERRICK." 

A  smile  of  amusement  lighted  Harold  Mainwaring's 
face  as,  glancing  up  from  the  note,  his  eyes  met  those  of 
Miss  Carleton's  with  their  expression  of  perplexed  inquiry. 

"  This  is  easily  explained,"  he  said  ;  "do  you  remember 
the  tall,  slender  man  whom  we  observed  on  board  the 
'  Campania'  as  being  rather  unsocial  and  taciturn?" 

"Yes,  I  remember  he  rather  annoyed  me,  for  I  fancied 
he  concentrated  considerably  more  thought  and  attention 
upon  us  than  the  circumstances  called  for." 

"Which  shows  you  were  more  observing  than  I.  Such 
a  thought  never  entered  my  mind  till  I  had  been  about  ten 
days  in  London,  when  it  occurred  to  me  that,  considering 
the  size  of  the  town  and  the  fact  that  he  and  I  were  stran 
gers,  we  met  with  astonishing  frequency.  I  have  since 
learned  that  he  was  a  detective  sent  over  to  London  on  an 
important  case,  and  being  an  intimate  friend  of  Merrick's, 
the  latter,  who,  I  am  informed,  was  shadowing  me  pretty 
closely  at  the  time,  requested  him  to  follow  my  movements 
and  report  to  him,  which  he  evidently  did,  as  I  have  since 
heard  that  Merrick  had  expressed  to  one  or  two  that  he  was 
not  at  all  surprised  by  the  developments  which  followed  my 
return  to  this  country.  Consequently,  it  is  not  to  be  won 
dered  at  if  he  has  an  inkling  that  you  may  be  somewhat 
interested  in  this  case." 

"But  what  could  have  been  Mr.  Merrick's  object  in 
shadowing  you?" 

' '  I  cannot  say.  It  may  have  been  only  part  of  his  profes 
sional  vigilance  in  letting  nothing  escape  his  observation ; 
but  from  the  first  I  was  conscious  of  his  close  espionage  of 

330 


MAINWARING  vs.   MAINWARING 

my  movements.  Now,  however,  I  am  satisfied  that  he  had 
none  but  friendly  intentions,  and  I  appreciate  his  kindness, 
not  only  towards  myself,  but  more  especially  towards  you. ' ' 

"Will  that  statement  be  of  any  assistance  to  you,  do  you 
think?" 

' '  I  hardly  think  so  under  our  present  plans, ' '  he  replied, 
after  a  moment's  reflection;  "under  recent  developments 
our  plans  differ  so  radically  from  what  we  first  intended, 
that  we  will  probably  have  little  use  for  any  of  the  testi 
mony  which  we  had  originally  prepared. ' ' 

' '  But  these  recent  developments  which  have  so  changed 
your  plans  must  certainly  have  been  in  your  favor  and  have 
rendered  your  success  the  more  assured,  have  they  not?" 

' '  Not  only  more  assured,  but  more  speedy  and  complete. 
To  me,  the  coming  trial  means  far  more  than  the  settle 
ment  of  the  controversy  over  the  estate ;  it  means  the 
complete  and  final  vindication  of  my  character,  so  that  I 
can  stand  before  you  and  before  the  world  acquitted  of 
every  charge  which  my  enemies  would  have  sought  to 
bring  against  me." 

Her  face  grew  radiant  with  sympathy.  "I  well  know 
what  that  means  to  you,  ana  I  would  be  first  to  congratu 
late  you  on  such  a  victory,  for  your  own  sake ;  but  I 
needed  no  public  acquittal  to  convince  me  of  your  inno 
cence, — not  even,"  she  added,  slowly,  "  when  you  yourself, 
for  some  reason,  which  I  hope  one  day  to  understand,  were 
unable  to  assure  me  of  it. ' ' 

His  dark  eyes,  glowing  with  suppressed  feeling,  met  hers, 
the  intensity  of  their  gaze  thrilling  her  heart  to  its  inmost 
depths. 

' '  Do  not  think  that  I  can  ever  forget  that, ' '  he  said  in 
low  tones  which  seemed  to  vibrate  through  her  whole 
being;  "do  not  think  that  through  any  triumphs  or  joys 
which  the  future  may  bring,  I  can  ever  forget,  for  one 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

moment,  the  faith  and  love  which  stood  loyally  by  me  in 
my  darkest  hour, — the  hour  when  the  shadow  of  the  crime, 
which  has  forever  darkened  Fair  Oaks,  was  closing  about 
my  very  soul ! ' ' 

Startled  at  the  sudden  solemnity  of  his  words  and 
manner,  she  remained  silent,  her  eyes  meeting  his  without 
a  shade  of  doubt  or  distrust,  but  full  of  wondering,  tender 
inquiry,  to  which  he  replied,  while  for  an  instant  he  laid 
his  hand  lightly  and  caressingly  on  hers,  ' '  Only  a  few  days 
longer,  love,  and  I  will  tell  you  all ! " 

On  the  morning  of  the  following  day  a  dense  crowd 
awaited,  at  an  early  hour,  the  opening  of  the  December 
term  of  court ;  a  crowd  which  was  steadily  augmented  till, 
when  the  case  of  Mainwaring  versus  Mainwaring  was 
called,  every  available  seat  was  filled.  All  parties  to  the 
suit  were  promptly  on  hand,  and  amid  a  silence  almost 
oppressive,  proponent  and  contestant,  with  their  counsel 
and  witnesses,  passed  down  the  long  aisle  to  their  respective 
places. 

Seldom  had  the  old  court-room,  in  its  long  and  varied 
history,  held  so  imposing  an  array  of  legal  talent  as  was 
assembled  that  morning  within  its  walls.  The  principal 
attorneys  for  the  contestant  were  Hunnewell  &  Whitney 
of  New  York,  and  the  London  firm  of  Upham  &  Black- 
well,  while  grouped  about  these  were  a  number  of  lesser 
luminaries,  whose  milder  rays  would  sufficiently  illumine 
the  minor  points  in  the  case.  But  at  a  glance  it  was 
clearly  evident  that  the  galaxy  of  legal  lights  opposing 
them  contained  only  stars  of  the  first  magnitude.  Most 
prominent  among  the  latter  were  Barton  &  Barton,  of 
London,  with  Mr.  Sutherland  and  his  life-long  friend  and 
coadjutor,  M.  D.  Montague,  with  whom  he  had  never 
failed  to  take  counsel  in  cases  of  special  importance,  all 

332 


MAINWARING  vs.   MAINWARING 

men  of  superb  physique  and  magnificent  brains ;  while 
slightly  in  the  rear,  as  reinforcements,  were  the  Hon.  J. 
Ponsonby  Roget,  Q.C.,  another  Q.C.  whose  name  had 
not  yet  reached  the  public  ear,  and  a  Boston  jurist  whose 
brilliant  career  had  made  his  name  famous  throughout 
the  United  States. 

Prominent  among  the  spectators  were  Mr.  Scott  and  Mr. 
Thornton,  apparently  on  the  best  of  terms,  and  watching 
proceedings  with  demonstrations  of  the  liveliest  interest, 
while  seated  at  a  little  distance,  less  demonstrative,  but  no 
less  interested,  was  young  Mainwaring,  accompanied  by 
Miss  Thornton  and  Miss  Carleton. 

The  first  day  was  devoted  to  preliminaries,  the  greater 
part  of  the  time  being  consumed  in  the  selection  of  a  jury. 
One  after  another  of  those  impanelled  was  examined,  chal 
lenged  by  one  side  or  the  other,  and  dismissed ;  not  until 
the  entire  panel  had  been  exhausted  and  several  special 
venires  issued,  was  there  found  the  requisite  number  suffi 
ciently  unprejudiced  to  meet  the  requirements  of  the  situa 
tion. 

The  remainder  of  the  day  was  occupied  by  counsel  for 
contestant  in  making  the  opening  statement.  A  review  of 
the  grounds  upon  which  the  contest  was  based  was  first 
read  by  one  of  the  assistant  attorneys,  after  which  Mr. 
Whitney  followed  with  a  lengthy  statement  which  occupied 
nearly  an  hour.  He  reviewed  in  detail  the  circumstances 
of  the  case,  beginning  with  the  death  of  Hugh  Mainwaring, 
and  laying  special  stress  upon  his  irreproachable  reputation. 
He  stated  that  it  would  be  shown  to  the  jury  that  the  life 
of  Hugh  Mainwaring  had  been  above  suspicion,  an  irref 
utable  argument  against  the  charges  of  fraud  and  dis 
honesty  which  had  been  brought  against  him  by  those  who 
sought  to  establish  the  will  in  contest.  It  would  also  be 
shown  that  the  said  document  was  a  forgery,  the  result  of  a 

333 


THAT  MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

prearranged  plan,  devised  by  those  who  had  been  lifelong 
enemies  of  Hugh  Mainwaring  and  the  contestant,  to 
defraud  the  latter  of  his  rights,  and  to  obtain  possession  of 
the  Mainwaring  estate ;  and  that  the  transparency  of  the 
device  in  bringing  the  so-called  will  to  light  at  that 
particular  time  and  under  those  particular  circumstances 
was  only  too  plainly  evident. 

Mr.  Whitney  was  warming  with  his  subject,  but  at  this 
juncture  he  was  peremptorily  called  to  order  by  Mr. 
Sutherland,  who  stated  that  he  objected  to  counsel  making 
an  argument  to  the  jury,  when  he  should  confine  himself 
simply  to  an  opening  statement.  Mr.  Whitney's  face 
flushed  as  a  ripple  of  amusement  ran  through  the  court 
room,  but  the  objection  was  sustained,  and,  after  a  brief 
summary  of  what  the  contestant  proposed  to  show,  he 
resumed  his  seat,  and  the  court  then  adjourned  until  the 
following  morning. 

The  first  testimony  introduced  on  the  following  day  was 
to  establish  the  unimpeachable  honesty  and  integrity  of  the 
deceased  Hugh  Mainwaring.  Both  Mr.  Elliot  and  Mr. 
Chittenden  were  called  to  the  stand,  and  their  examination 
— particularly  the  cross-examination,  in  which  a  number  of 
damaging  admissions  were  made — occupied  nearly  the 
entire  forenoon ;  the  remainder  of  the  day  being  devoted 
to  the  testimony  of  witnesses  from  abroad,  introduced  to 
show  that  for  years  a  bitter  estrangement  had  existed 
between  Frederick  Mainwaring  Scott,  the  alleged  foster- 
father  of  the  proponent,  and  the  members  of  the  Main- 
waring  family, — the  deceased  Hugh  Mainwaring  and  the 
contestant  in  particular ;  and  also  to  show  the  implacable 
anger  of  Ralph  Maxwell  Mainwaring  against  his  elder  son 
and  the  extreme  improbability  of  his  ever  relenting  in  his 
favor. 

Day  after  day  dragged  slowly  on,  still  taken  up  with  the 
334 


MAINWARING  vs.   MAINWARING 

examination  of  witnessses  for  contestant ;  examinations  too 
tedious  and  monotonous  for  repetition,  but  full  of  interest 
to  the  crowds  which  came  and  went,  increasing  daily,  till, 
on  the  days  devoted  to  the  expert  testimony,  galleries  and 
aisles  were  packed  to  overflowing,  while  throngs  of 
eager  listeners  gathered  in  the  corridors  about  the  various 
exits. 

It  soon  became  evident  that  Ralph  Mainwaring's  oft  re 
peated  assertions  concerning  the  elaborate  preparation  he 
had  made  for  the  coming  contest  were  no  idle  boast. 
Nothing  that  human  ingenuity  could  devise  had  been  left 
undone  which  could  help  to  turn  the  scale  in  his  own  favor. 
The  original  will  of  Ralph  Maxwell  Mainwaring,  by  which 
his  elder  son  was  disinherited,  was  produced  and  read  in 
court.  Both  wills  were  photographed,  and  numerous 
copies,  minute  in  every  detail,  made,  in  order  to  show  by 
comparison  the  differences  in  their  respective  signatures. 
Under  powerful  microscopes  it  was  discovered  that  several 
pauses  had  been  made  in  the  signature  of  the  later  will. 
Electric  batteries  were  introduced  to  show  that  the  docu 
ment  had  been  steeped  in  coffee  and  tobacco  juice  to  give 
it  the  appearance  of  great  age.  Interesting  chemical 
experiments  were  performed,  by  which  a  piece  of  new 
paper  was  made  to  look  stained  and  spotted  as  if  mildewed 
and  musty,  while  by  the  use  of  tiny  files  and  needles,  the 
edges,  having  first  been  slightly  scalloped,  were  grated  and 
the  paper  punctured,  till  it  presented  a  very  similar  aspect 
to  the  will  itself,  as  though  worn  through  at  the  creases  and 
frayed  and  tattered  with  age. 

But  the  accumulation  of  this  overwhelming  mass  of  ex 
pert  testimony  failed  to  make  the  impression  upon  counsel 
for  proponent  which  had  been  anticipated  by  the  other 
side.  Mr.  Sutherland  varied  the  monotony  of  the  direct 
examinations  by  frequent  and  pertinent  objections,  while 

335 


THAT    MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

Barton  &  Barton  took  occasional  notes,  which  were  after 
wards  passed  to  Sutherland  and  Montague,  and  by  them 
used  with  telling  effect  in  the  cross-examinations,  but  the 
faces  of  one  and  all  wore  an  expression  inscrutable  as  that 
of  the  sphinx. 

Only  once  was  their  equanimity  disturbed  by  any  ripple 
of  agitation,  and  then  the  incident  was  so  little  understood 
as  to  be  soon  forgotten.  As  the  third  day  of  the  trial  was 
drawing  to  a  close,  a  despatch  in  cipher  was  handed  Mr. 
Sutherland,  which  when  translated  seemed  to  produce  a 
startling  effect  upon  its  readers.  Barton  &  Barton  ex 
changed  glances  and  frowned  heavily ;  Mr.  Sutherland's 
face  for  one  brief  moment  showed  genuine  alarm,  and 
Harold  Mainwaring,  upon  reading  the  slip  of  paper  passed 
to  him,  grew  pale.  A  hurried  consultation  followed  and 
Mr.  Montague  left  the  court-room. 

On  the  following  morning  the  papers  announced  that  at 
ii  P.M.  the  preceding  night,  the  Victoria,  the  private  car 
of  the  president  of  one  of  the  principal  railway  lines,  with 
special  engine  attached,  had  left  for  the  West,  evidently  on 
business  of  great  importance,  as  everything  on  the  road  had 
been  ordered  side-tracked.  It  was  stated  that  no  particulars 
could  be  ascertained,  however,  regarding  either  her  pas 
sengers  or  her  destination,  the  utmost  secrecy  being  main 
tained  by  those  on  board,  including  even  the  trainmen. 
This  item,  though  attracting  some  attention,  caused  less 
comment  than  did  the  fact  that  for  the  three  days  next  en 
suing,  neither  the  senior  Mr.  Barton  nor  Mr.  Montague  was 
present  in  court ;  but  no  one  suspected  any  connection  be 
tween  the  two  events,  or  dreamed  that  the  above  gentle 
men,  with  two  of  New  York's  most  skilled  surgeons,  were 
the  occupants  of  the  president's  private  car,  then  hastening 
westward  at  almost  lightning  speed. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  sixth  day  of  the  trial,  as  it  be- 
336 


MAINWARING  vs.   MAINWARING 

came  apparent  that  the  seemingly  interminable  evidence 
submitted  by  contestant  was  nearly  at  an  end,  the  eager 
impatience  of  the  waiting  crowd  could  scarcely  be  restrained 
within  the  limits  of  order.  A  change  was  noticeable  also 
in  the  demeanor  of  proponent  and  his  counsel.  For  the 
two  days  preceding  they  had  appeared  as  though  under 
some  tension  or  suspense  ;  now  they  seemed  to  exhibit 
almost  an  indifference  to  the  proceedings,  as  though  the 
outcome  of  the  contest  were  already  a  settled  fact,  while  a 
marked  gravity  accompanied  each  word  and  gesture. 

At  last  the  contestant  rested,  and  all  eyes  were  fixed  upon 
Mr.  Sutherland,  as,  after  a  brief  pause,  he  rose  to  make,  as 
was  supposed,  his  opening  statement.  Instead  of  address 
ing  the  jury,  however,  he  turned  towards  Judge  Bingham. 

"Your  honor,"  he  began,  in  slow,  measured  tones,  "it 
now  lacks  but  little  more  than  an  hour  of  the  usual  time  for 
adjournment,  and  after  the  constant  strain  which  has  been 
put  upon  our  nerves  for  the  past  six  days,  I  feel  that  none 
of  us,  including  yourself,  your  honor,  are  in  a  sufficiently 
receptive  mood  to  listen  to  the  testimony  which  the  pro 
ponent  has  to  offer.  In  addition  to  this  is  the  fact  that 
our  most  important  witness  is  not  present  this  afternoon.  I 
would  therefore  ask  for  an  adjournment  to  be  taken  until 
ten  o'clock  next  Monday  morning,  at  which  time  I  will 
guarantee  your  honor  and  the  gentlemen  of  the  jury  that 
the  intricate  and  elaborate  web  of  fine-spun  theories  which 
has  been  presented  will  be  swept  away  in  fewer  hours  than 
the  days  which  have  been  required  for  its  construction." 

There  was  an  attempt  at  applause,  which  was  speedily 
checked,  and  without  further  delay  the  court  adjourned. 

As  judge,  jury,  and  counsel  took  their  respective  places 
on  the  following  Monday  at  the  hour  appointed,  the  scene 
presented  by  the  old  court-room  was  one  never  before  wit 
nessed  in  its  history.  Every  available  inch  of  standing 

337 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

room,  both  on  the  main  floor  and  in  the  galleries,  was 
taken  ;  throngs  were  congregated  about  the  doorways,  those 
in  the  rear  standing  on  chairs  and  benches  that  they  might 
obtain  a  view  over  the  heads  of  their  more  fortunate  neigh 
bors,  while  even  the  recesses  formed  by  the  enormous  win 
dows  were  packed  with  humanity,  two  rows  deep,  the  outer 
row  embracing  the  inner  one  in  its  desperate  efforts  to  main 
tain  its  equilibrium. 

The  opposing  sides  presented  a  marked  contrast  in  their 
appearance  that  morning.  Ralph  Main  waring  betrayed  a 
nervous  excitement  very  unusual  in  one  of  his  phlegmatic 
temperament ;  his  face  alternately  flushed  and  paled,  and 
though  much  of  the  old  defiant  bravado  remained,  yet  he 
awaited  the  opening  of  proceedings  with  visible  impatience. 
Nor  was  Mr.  Whitney  less  excited,  his  manner  revealing 
both  agitation  and  anxiety.  On  the  part  of  Harold  Main- 
waring  and  his  counsel,  however,  there  was  no  agitation, 
no  haste  ;  every  movement  was  characterized  by  com 
posure  and  deliberation,  yet  something  in  their  bearing — 
something  subtle  and  indefinable  but  nevertheless  irresistible 
— impressed  the  sensibilities  of  the  vast  audience  much  as 
the  oppressive  calm  which  precedes  an  electric  storm.  All 
felt  that  some  great  crisis  was  at  hand,  and  it  was  amid 
almost  breathless  silence  that  Mr.  Sutherland  arose  to  make 
his  opening  statement. 

"Gentlemen  of  the  jury,"  he  began,  and  the  slow, 
resonant  tones  penetrated  to  the  farthest  corner  and  out 
into  the  corridors  where  hundreds  were  eagerly  listening, 
"as  a  defence  to  the  charges  sought  to  be  established  in 
your  hearing,  we  propose  to  show,  not  by  fine-spun  theories 
based  upon  electrical  and  chemical  experiments,  nor  bril 
liant  sophistries  deduced  from  microscopic  observations, 
but  by  the  citation  of  stubborn  and  incontrovertible  facts, 
that  this  document  (holding  up  the  will),  copies  of  which 

338 


MAINWARING  vs.   MAINWARING 

you  now  have  in  your  possession,  is  the  last  will  and  testa 
ment  of  Ralph  Maxwell  Mainwaring,  executed  by  him  on 
the  night  preceding  his  death,  and  as  such  entitled  to  stand ; 
that  this  will,  from  the  date  of  its  execution  to  the  day  of  its 
discovery  on  the  seventh  of  July  last,  was  wilfully  and 
fraudulently  withheld  from  publication,  and  its  existence 
kept  secret  by  the  deceased  Hugh  Mainwaring.  That  the 
proponent,  Harold  Scott  Mainwaring,  is  the  lawful  and  only 
son  of  the  beneficiary  named  therein,  and  as  such  the  sole 
rightful  and  lawful  heir  to  and  owner  of  the  Mainwaring 
estate.  More  than  this,  we  propose  at  the  same  time  and 
by  the  same  evidence  to  forever  disprove,  confute,  and 
silence  any  and  every  aspersion  and  insinuation  which  has 
been  brought  against  the  character  of  the  proponent, 
Harold  Scott  Mainwaring ;  and  in  doing  this,  we  shall  at 
last  lift  the  veil  which,  for  the  past  five  months,  has  hung 
over  the  Fair  Oaks  tragedy." 

Mr.  Sutherland  paused  to  allow  the  tremendous  excite 
ment  produced  by  his  words  to  subside ;  then  turning,  he 
addressed  himself  to  the  judge. 

' '  Your  honor,  I  have  to  request  permission  of  the  court 
to  depart  in  a  slight  degree  from  the  usual  custom.  The 
witness  for  the  defence  is  in  an  adjoining  room,  ready  to 
give  testimony  when  summoned  to  do  so,  but  in  this  instance 
I  have  to  ask  that  the  name  be  withheld,  and  that  the 
witness  himself  be  identified  by  the  contestant  and  his 
counsel." 

The  judge  bowed  in  assent,  and  amid  a  silence  so  rigid 
and  intense  as  to  be  almost  painful,  at  a  signal  from  Mr. 
Sutherland,  the  doors  of  an  anteroom  were  swung  noise 
lessly  open  and  approaching  footsteps  were  heard. 


339 


CHAPTER    XXVII 

THE    SILENT    WITNESS 

APPROACHING  footsteps  were  heard,  but  they  were  the 
steps  of  men  moving  slowly  and  unsteadily,  as  though  carry 
ing  some  heavy  burden.  An  instant  later,  six  men,  bearing 
a  casket  beneath  whose  weight  they  staggered,  entered  the 
court-room  and,  making  their  way  through  the  spell-bound 
crowd,  deposited  their  burden  near  the  witness  stand.  Im 
mediately  following  were  two  men,  one  of  whom  was  in 
stantly  recognized  as  Merrick,  the  detective ;  the  other  as 
the  man  who,  a  few  months  before,  had  been  known  as  the 
English  barrister's  clerk,  now  wearing  the  full  uniform  of  a 
Scotland  Yard  official.  Bringing  up  the  rear  was  an  under 
taker,  who,  amid  the  breathless  silence  which  ensued,  pro 
ceeded  to  open  the  casket.  This  done,  Mr.  Sutherland 
rose  and  addressed  the  judge,  his  low  tones  for  the  first 
time  vibrating  with  suppressed  feeling. 

"Your  honor,  I  request  that  William  H.  Whitney  be 
first  called  upon  to  identify  the  witness." 

Controlling  his  agitation  by  a  visible  effort,  Mr.  Whitney 
approached  the  casket,  but  his  eyes  no  sooner  rested  on  the 
form  and  features  within  than  his  forced  composure  gave 
way.  With  a  groan  he  exclaimed, — 

"  My  God,  it  is  Hugh  Mainwaring  !"  and  bending  over 
the  casket,  he  covered  his  face  with  his  hands  while  he 
strove  in  vain  to  conceal  his  emotion. 

His  words,  ringing  through  the  hushed  court-room, 
seemed  to  break  the  spell,  and  the  over-wrought  nerves  of 
the  people  began  to  yield  under  the  tremendous  pressure. 

340 


Mr.  Sutherland  raised  a  warning  hand  to  check  the  tide  of 
nervous  excitement  which  threatened  to  sweep  over  the 
entire  crowd,  but  it  was  of  little  avail.  Piercing  screams 
followed  ;  women  fainted  and  were  borne  from  the  room, 
and  the  faces  of  strong  men  blanched  to  a  deathly  pallor  as 
they  gazed  at  one  another  in  mute  consternation  and  be 
wilderment.  For  a  few  moments  the  greatest  confusion 
reigned,  but  when  at  last  order  was  restored  and  Mr.  Whit 
ney  had  regained  his  composure,  Mr.  Sutherland  inquired, — 

"  Mr.  Whitney,  do  you  identify  the  dead  man  as  Hugh 
Mainwaring  ?" 

"I  do." 

"  But  did  you  not  identify  as  Hugh  Mainwaring  the  man 
who,  at  Fair  Oaks,  on  or  about  the  eighth  of  July  last,  came 
to  his  death  from  the  effect  of  a  gunshot  wound  ?' ' 

"  I  supposed  then,  and  up  until  the  present  time,  that  it 
was  he  ;  there  certainly  was  a  most  wonderful  resemblance 
which  I  am  unable  to  explain  or  account  for,  but  this, 
beyond  all  question,  is  Hugh  Mainwaring." 

"Will  you  state  what  proof  of  identification  you  can 
give  in  this  instance  that  was  not  present  in  the  other?" 

"Hugh  Mainwaring  had  over  the  right  temple  a  slight 
birthmark,  a  red  line  extending  upward  into  the  hair,  not 
always  equally  distinct,  but  always  visible  to  one  who  had 
once  observed  it,  and  in  this  instance  quite  noticeable.  I 
saw  no  trace  of  this  mark  on  the  face  of  the  murdered  man  ; 
but  as  the  face  was  somewhat  blackened  by  powder  about 
the  right  temple,  I  attributed  its  absence  to  that  fact,  and  in 
the  excitement  which  followed  I  thought  little  of  it.  On  the 
day  of  the  funeral  I  also  noted  certain  lines  in  the  face 
which  seemed  unfamiliar,  but  realizing  that  death  often 
makes  the  features  of  those  whom  we  know  best  to  seem 
strange  to  us,  I  thought  no  further  of  the  matter.  Now, 
however,  looking  upon  this  face,  I  am  able  to  recall  several 


THAT    MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

differences,  unnoticed  then,  but  all  of  which  go  to  prove 
that  this  is  Hugh  Mainwaring. " 

Ralph  Mainwaring  was  the  next  one  summoned  for  identi 
fication.  During  Mr.  Whitney's  examination  his  manner  had 
betrayed  intense  agitation,  and  he  now  came  forward  with 
an  expression  of  mingled  incredulity  and  dread,  but  upon 
reaching  the  casket,  he  stood  like  one  petrified,  unable  to 
move  or  speak,  while  no  one  who  saw  him  could  ever  forget 
the  look  of  horror  which  overspread  his  features. 

"Mr.  Mainwaring, "  said  Mr.  Sutherland  at  length,  "do 
you  know  the  dead  man  ?" 

"It  is  he,"  answered  Ralph  Mainwaring  in  a  low  tone, 
apparently  speaking  more  to  himself  than  to  the  attorney ; 
"  it  is  Hugh  Mainwaring  ;  that  was  the  distinguishing  mark 
between  them." 

"  Do  you  refer  to  the  mark  of  which  Mr.  Whitney  has 
just  spoken  ?' ' 

"Yes." 

"What  do  you  mean  by  designating  it  as  'the  distin 
guishing  mark  between  them'  ?  " 

Ralph  Mainwaring  turned  from  the  casket  and  faced  Mr. 
Sutherland,  but  his  eyes  had  the  strained,  far-away  look 
of  one  gazing  into  the  distance,  unconscious  of  objects 
near  him. 

"It  was  the  mark,"  he  said,  speaking  with  an  effort, 
"  by  which,  when  we  were  boys,  he  was  distinguished  from 
his  twin  brother." 

"  His  twin  brother,  Harold  Scott  Mainwaring?"  queried 
the  attorney. 

"Yes,"  the  other  answered,  mechanically. 

"  Do  you  then  identify  this  as  Hugh  Mainwaring?" 

"Yes;  and  the  other — he  must  have  been — no,  no,  it 
could  not  be — great  God  ! ' '  Ralph  Mainwaring  suddenly 
reeled  and  raised  his  hand  to  his  head.  Mr.  Whitney 

342 


THE    SILENT   WITNESS 

sprang  to  his  assistance  and  led  him  to  his  chair,  but  in 
those  few  moments  he  had  aged  twenty  years. 

A  number  of  those  most  intimately  acquainted  with  Hugh 
Mainwaring  were  then  called  upon,  all  of  whom  identified 
the  dead  man  as  their  late  friend  and  associate.  These 
preliminaries  over,  Mr.  Sutherland  arose. 

"Your  honor  and  gentlemen  of  the  jury,  before  pro 
ceeding  with  the  testimony  to  be  introduced,  I  have  a  brief 
statement  to  make.  Soon  after  the  commencement  of  this 
action,  we  came  into  possession  of  indisputable  evidence 
that  Hugh  Mainwaring,  the  supposed  victim  of  the  Fair 
Oaks  tragedy,  was  still  living,  and  that  of  whatever  crime, 
if  crime  there  were  associated  with  that  fearful  event,  he 
was  not  the  victim  but  the  perpetrator.  We  determined  at 
all  hazards  to  secure  him,  first  as  a  witness  in  this  case,  our 
subsequent  action  to  be  decided  by  later  developments. 
Through  our  special  detective  we  succeeded  in  locating  him, 
but  he,  upon  finding  himself  cornered,  supposing  he  was 
to  be  arrested  for  the  murder  of  his  brother,  attempted 
suicide  by  shooting.  The  combined  skill  of  the  best  sur 
geons  obtainable,  though  unable  to  save  him,  yet  prolonged 
life  for  three  days,  long  enough  to  enable  two  of  our  num 
ber,  Mr.  Barton  and  Mr.  Montague,  to  reach  him  in  season 
to  take  his  dying  statement ;  a  statement  not  only  setting 
forth  the  facts  relating  to  the  will  in  question,  but  embracing 
also  the  details  of  the  Fair  Oaks  tragedy  and  mystery. 
This  statement,  made  by  Hugh  Mainwaring  and  attested 
by  numerous  witnesses  present,  will  now  be  read  by  Mr. 
Montague. ' ' 

Amid  an  impressive  silence,  Mr.  Montague  stepped  to 
the  side  of  the  casket  and,  unfolding  a  document  which  he 
held,  read  the  following  : 

"  I,  Hugh  Mainwaring,  freely  and  voluntarily  and  under 
no  duress  or  compulsion,  make  this,  my  dying  statement. 

343 


THAT    MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

not  only  as  a  relief  to  the  mental  anguish  I  have  endured 
for  the  past  few  months,  but  also  in  the  hope  that  I  may 
thereby,  in  my  last  hours,  help  in  some  degree  to  right  the 
wrong  which  my  life  of  treachery  and  cowardice  has  wrought. 
To  do  this,  I  must  go  back  over  twenty- five  years  of  crime, 
and  beyond  that  to  the  inordinate  greed  and  ambition  that 
led  to  crime. 

"  My  brother,  Harold  Scott  Mainwaring,  and  I  were 
twins,  so  marvellously  alike  in  form  and  feature  that  our 
parents  often  had  difficulty  to  distinguish  between  us,  but 
utterly  unlike  in  disposition,  except  that  we  both  possessed 
a  fiery  temper  and  an  indomitable  will.  He  was  the  soul 
of  honor,  generous  to  a  fault,  loyal-hearted  and  brave,  and 
he  exacted  honor  and  loyalty  from  others.  He  had  no 
petty  ambitions ;  he  cared  little  for  wealth  for  its  own  sake, 
still  less  for  its  votaries.  I  was  ambitious  ;  I  loved  wealth 
for  the  power  which  it  bestowed ;  I  would  sacrifice  any 
thing  for  the  attainment  of  that  power,  and  even  my 
boyish  years  were  tainted  with  secret  envy  of  my  brother, 
an  envy  that  grew  with  my  growth,  till,  as  we  reached 
years  of  maturity,  the  consciousness  that  he,  my  senior  by 
only  a  few  hours,  was  yet  to  take  precedence  over  me — to 
possess  all  that  I  coveted — became  a  thorn  in  my  side  whose 
rankling  presence  I  never  for  a  single  waking  hour  forgot ; 
it  embittered  my  enjoyment  of  the  present,  my  hopes  and 
plans  for  the  future. 

"But  of  this  deadly  undercurrent  flowing  far  beneath 
the  surface  neither  he  nor  others  dreamed,  till,  one  day,  a 
woman's  face — cold,  cruel,  false,  but  beautiful,  bewitch  - 
ingly,  entrancingly  beautiful, — came  between  us,  and  from 
that  hour  all  semblance  of  friendship  was  at  an  end.  With 
me  it  was  an  infatuation  ;  with  him  it  was  love,  a  love  ready 
to  make  any  sacrifice  for  its  idol.  So  when  our  father  threat 
ened  to  disinherit  and  disown  either  or  both  of  us,  and  the 

344 


THE   SILENT   WITNESS 

false,  fickle  heart  of  a  woman  was  laid  in  the  balances  against 
the  ancestral  estates,  I  saw  my  opportunity  for  seizing  the 
long  coveted  prize.  We  each  made  his  choice  ;  my  brother 
sold  his  birthright  for  a  mess  of  pottage ;  his  rights  were 
transferred  to  me,  and  my  ambition  was  at  last  gratified. 

' '  Between  three  and  four  years  later,  on  the  night  of 
November  seventeenth,  18 — ,  within  a  few  hours  preceding 
his  death,  my  father  made  a  will,  revoking  the  will  by  which 
he  had  disinherited  his  elder  son,  and  restoring  him  again 
to  his  full  right  and  title  to  the  estate.  This  was  not  un 
expected  to  me.  Though  no  words  on  the  subject  had 
passed  between  us  and  my  brother's  name  was  never  men 
tioned,  I  had  realized  for  more  than  a  year  that  my  father 
was  gradually  relenting  towards  the  son  who  had  ever  been 
his  favorite,  and  on  the  last  day  that  he  was  able  to  leave 
his  room,  I  had  come  upon  him  unaware  in  the  old  picture 
gallery,  standing  before  the  portrait  of  his  elder  son,  silent 
and  stern,  but  with  the  tears  coursing  down  his  pallid 
cheeks.  When,  therefore,  on  the  night  preceding  his 
death,  my  father  demanded  that  an  attorney  be  summoned, 
my  feelings  can  be  imagined.  Just  as  the  prize  which  I 
had  so  long  regarded  as  mine  was  almost  within  my  grasp, 
should  I  permit  it  to  elude  me  for  the  gratification  of 
a  dying  man's  whim?  Never  !  In  my  rage  I  could  have 
throttled  him  then  and  there  without  a  qualm ;  fear  of  the 
law  alone  held  me  back.  I  tried  to  dissuade  him,  but  it 
was  useless.  I  then  bribed  the  servant  sent  to  bring  the 
attorney  to  report  that  he  was  out  of  town,  and  when  that 
proved  of  no  avail,  I  sent  for  Richard  Hobson,  a  penniless 
shyster,  whose  lack  of  means  and  lack  of  principle  I  be 
lieved  would  render  him  an  easy  tool  in  my  hands.  He 
came ;  I  was  waiting  to  receive  him,  and  we  entered  into  a 
compact,  I  little  dreaming  I  was  setting  loose  on  my  track 
a  veritable  hell-hound  !  The  will  was  drawn  and  executed, 

345 


THAT   MAINWARING  AFFAIR 

Hobson  and  one  Alexander  McPherson,  an  old  friend  of 
my  father's,  signing  as  witnesses.  Within  twenty-four  hours 
of  its  execution,  Richard  Hobson  was  richer  by  several 
hundred  pounds,  and  the  will  was  in  my  possession.  Two 
days  later,  I  had  a  false  telegram  sent  to  our  place,  sum 
moning  McPherson  to  his  home  in  Scotland.  He  left  at 
once,  before  my  father's  burial,  and  his  death,  which  oc 
curred  a  few  weeks  later,  removed  the  last  obstacle  in  the 
way  of  carrying  my  plans  into  execution.  My  brother  at 
that  time  was  in  Australia,  but  in  what  part  of  the  country 
I  did  not  know,  nor  did  I  try  to  ascertain.  My  constant 
fear  was  that  he  might  in  some  way — though  by  what  means 
I  could  not  imagine — get  some  knowledge  of  the  will  and 
return  to  set  up  a  claim  to  the  estate.  As  soon  as  possible, 
therefore,  notwithstanding  the  protests  of  my  attorneys,  I 
sold  the  estate  and  came  to  America. 

"  Concerning  the  years  that  followed,  it  is  needless  to  go 
into  detail ;  they  brought  me  wealth,  influence,  power,  all 
that  I  had  craved,  but  little  of  happiness.  Even  when 
there  came  tidings  of  my  brother's  death  at  sea,  and  I  felt 
that  at  last  my  title  to  the  estate  was  secure,  I  had  little  en 
joyment  in  its  possession.  Richard  Hobson  had  already 
begun  his  black-mailing  schemes,  his  demands  growing 
more  frequent  and  exorbitant  with  each  succeeding  year. 
Through  him,  also,  the  woman  who  had  wrecked  my 
brother's  life  received  some  inkling  of  my  secret,  and 
through  this  knowledge,  slight  as  it  was,  gained  enough  of 
a  hold  over  me  that  life  was  becoming  an  intolerable  bur 
den.  Through  all  these  years,  however,  I  kept  the  will  in 
my  possession.  Even  after  hearing  of  the  death  of  my 
brother,  a  cowardly,  half-superstitious  dread  kept  me  from 
destroying  it,  though  doubtless  I  would  have  done  so  soon 
after  making  my  own  will  had  I  not  been  prevented  by  cir 
cumstances  unforeseen,  which  I  will  now  state. 

346 


THE    SILENT    WITNESS 

' '  The  events  which  I  am  about  to  relate  are  stamped 
upon  my  brain  as  though  by  fire ;  they  have  haunted  me 
day  and  night  for  the  past  five  months.  On  the  seventh 
of  July  last,  I  made  and  executed  my  will  in  favor  of  my 
namesake,  Hugh  Mainwaring,  and  on  the  following  day — 
his  birthday  and  mine — he  was  to  be  declared  my  heir.  It 
was  past  eleven  o'clock  on  the  night  of  that  day  when  I 
retired  to  my  private  library,  and  it  was  fully  an  hour  later 
when,  having  dismissed  my  secretary,  I  finally  found  my 
self  alone,  as  I  supposed,  for  the  night.  My  thoughts  were 
far  from  pleasant.  I  had  just  had  a  stormy  interview  with 
my  housekeeper,  Mrs.  LaGrange,  who  had  tried,  as  on 
previous  occasions,  to  coerce  me  by  threats  into  a  private 
marriage  and  a  public  recognition  of  her  as  my  wife  and 
of  her  child  and  mine  ;  and,  in  addition,  the  occurrences  of 
the  day  had  been  of  a  nature  to  recall  the  past,  and  events 
which  I  usually  sought  to  bury  in  oblivion  were  passing  be 
fore  my  mental  vision  despite  my  efforts  to  banish  them. 
Suddenly  a  voice  which  seemed  like  an  echo  of  the  past 
recalled  me  to  the  present.  Somewhat  startled,  I  turned 
quickly,  confronting  a  man  who  had  entered  unperceived 
from  the  tower-room.  He  was  my  own  height  and  size, 
with  curling  black  hair  and  heavy  mustache,  but  I  was  un 
able  to  distinguish  his  features  as  he  remained  standing 
partly  in  the  shadow.  Before  I  could  recover  from  my  sur 
prise,  he  again  spoke,  his  voice  still  vaguely  familiar. 

"'The  master  of  Fair  Oaks' — the  words  were  spoken 
with  stinging  emphasis — '  seems  depressed  on  the  eve  of 
his  festal  day,  the  day  on  which  he  is  to  name  the  heir  and 
successor  to  his  vast  estates  ! ' 

' '  I  remembered  that  a  stranger  had  called  that  day 
during  my  absence,  who,  my  secretary  had  informed  me, 
had  shown  a  surprising  familiarity  with  my  private  plans. 

' '  '  I  think, '  I  replied,  coldly,  '  that  you  favored  me  with 
347 


THAT    MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

a  call  this  afternoon,  but  whatever  your  business  then  or 
now,  you  will  have  to  defer  it  for  a  few  days.  I  do  not 
know  how  you  gained  admittance  to  these  apartments  at  this 
hour,  but  I  will  see  that  you  are  escorted  from  them  without 
delay,'  and  as  I  spoke  I  rose  to  ring  for  a  servant. 

"He  anticipated  my  intention,  however,  and  with  the 
agility  of  a  panther  sprang  noiselessly  across  the  room, 
intercepting  me,  at  the  same  time  raising  a  large,  English 
bull-dog  revolver,  which  he  levelled  at  me. 

' '  '  Not  so  fast,  not  so  fast, '  he  said,  softly ;  '  you  can 
afford  to  wait  a  little  ;  I  have  waited  for  years  ! ' 

"I  stood  as  though  rooted  to  the  spot,  gazing  at  him 
with  a  sort  of  fascination.  As  he  emerged  into  the  light 
there  was  something  almost  familiar  in  his  features,  and  yet 
something  horribly  incongruous  and  unreal.  His  eyes 
glowed  like  living  fire  ;  his  soft,  low  tones  reminded  me  of 
nothing  so  much  as  the  purring  of  a  tiger ;  while  the  smile 
that  played  about  his  lips  was  more  terrible  than  anything 
I  had  ever  seen  on  human  face.  It  was  ten  times  more 
fearful  than  the  muzzle  of  the  revolver  confronting  me, 
and  seemed  to  freeze  the  very  blood  in  my  veins. 

' '  '  You  take  a  base  advantage ;  I  am  unarmed, '  I  sneered. 

"  '  I  knew  too  well  with  whom  I  had  to  deal  to  come 
unarmed, '  he  replied  ;  '  though  this, '  and  he  lowered  the 
revolver,  '  this  is  not  the  sort  of  weapon  you  would  em 
ploy, — a  thrust  in  the  dark,  a  stab  in  the  back,  that  is  your 
style,  coward  ! ' 

"  '  I  demand  an  explanation  of  this, '  I  said. 

"He  folded  his  arms,  still  retaining  his  hold  upon  the 
weapon,  as  he  answered,  '  Explanations  will  follow  in  due 
time ;  but  surely,  on  the  eve  of  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of 
such  a  life  as  yours,  congratulations  are  first  in  order. 
Allow  me  to  congratulate  you,  Hugh  Mainwaring,  upon 
the  success  which  has  attended  and  crowned  the  past 

348 


THE   SILENT   WITNESS 

twenty-five  years  of  your  life  !  upon  the  rich  harvest  you 
have  reaped  during  all  these  years ;  the  amassed  wealth, 
the  gratified  ambitions,  the  almost  illimitable  power,  the 
adulation  and  homage, — all  so  precious  to  your  sordid 
soul,  and  for  which  you  have  bartered  honor,  happiness, 
character,  all,  in  short,  that  life  is  worth.  Standing,  as 
you  do  to-night,  at  the  fiftieth  milestone  on  life's  journey, 
I  congratulate  you  upon  your  recollections  of  the  past,  and 
upon  your  anticipations  for  the  future,  as  you  descend  to 
an  unhonored  and  unloved  old  age  !' 

''Every  word  was  heaped  with  scorn,  and,  as  I  looked 
into  the  burning  eyes  fixed  upon  mine  and  watched  the 
sardonic  smile  hovering  about  his  lips,  I  wondered  whether 
he  were  some  Mephistopheles — some  fiend  incarnate — sent 
to  torture  me,  or  whether  he  were  really  flesh  and 
blood. 

"  The  mocking  smile  now  left  his  face,  but  his  eyes  held 
me  speechless  as  he  continued, — 

' '  '  No  wonder  that  memories  of  bygone  years  haunted 
your  thoughts  to-night !  Memories,  perhaps,  of  a  father 
whose  dying  will  you  disregarded  ;  of  a  brother  whom  you 
twice  defrauded, — once  of  the  honor  and  sanctity  of  his 
home,  then,  as  if  that  were  not  enough,  of  his  birthright, 
— his  heritage  from  generations  of  our  race ' 

' '  '  Stop  ! '  I  cried,  stung  to  anger  by  his  accusations  and 
startled  by  the  strange  words,  '  our  race,'  which  seemed  to 
fall  so  familiarly  from  his  lips.  '  Stop  !  are  you  mad  ?  Do 
you  know  what  you  are  saying  ?  Once  more  I  demand  that 
you  state  who  or  what  you  are,  and  your  business  here  ! ' 

"'That  is  quickly  stated,  Hugh  Mainwaring, '  he  an 
swered,  in  tones  which  made  my  heart  beat  with  a  strange 
dread ;  '  I  am  Harold  Scott  Mainwaring  !  I  am  here  to 
claim  no  brotherhood  or  kinship  with  you,  but  to  claim 
and  to  have  my  own,  the  birthright  restored  to  me  by  the 

349 


THAT   MAINWARING   AFFAIR 

last  will  and  testament  of  a  dying  father,  of  which  you 
have  defrauded  me  for  twenty-five  years  !' 

"  'You  are  a  liar  and  an  impostor!'  I  cried,  enraged 
at  the  sound  of  my  brother's  name,  and  for  the  instant  be 
lieving  the  man  to  be  some  emissary  of  Hobson's  who  had 
used  it  to  work  upon  my  feelings. 

"  Drawing  himself  up  to  his  full  height,  his  eyes  blazing, 
he  answered  in  low  tones,  '  Dare  you  apply  those  epithets 
to  me,  usurper  that  you  are  ?  You  are  a  liar  and  a  thief, 
and  if  you  had  your  deserts  you  would  be  in  a  felon's  cell 
to-night,  or  transported  to  the  wilds  of  Australia  !  I  an 
impostor?  See  and  judge  for  yourself!'  and  with  a  sudden, 
swift  movement  the  black  curling  hair  and  mustache  were 
dashed  to  the  floor,  and  he  stood  before  me  the  exact 
counterpart  of  myself.  Stunned  by  the  transformation,  I 
gazed  at  him  speechless ;  it  was  like  looking  in  a  mirror, 
feature  for  feature  identically  the  same  !  For  a  few  seconds 
my  brain  seemed  to  reel  from  the  shock,  but  his  tones  re 
called  me  to  myself. 

' '  '  Ah  ! '  he  said,  with  mocking  emphasis,  '  who  is  the 
impostor  now?' 

"  My  first  thought  was  of  self-vindication,  and  to  effect, 
if  possible,  a  compromise  with  him.  '  I  am  no  impostor  or 
usurper,'  I  said,  'because,  believing  you  dead,  I  have  used 
that  to  which  in  the  event  of  your  death  I  would  be  legally 
entitled  even  had  you  any  claim,  and  I  am  willing,  not  as 
an  acknowledgment  of  any  valid  claim  on  your  part,  but  as 
a  concession  on  my  own  part,  to  give  you  a  liberal  share  in 
the  estate,  or  to  pay  you  any  reasonable  sum  which  you  may 
require ' 

"  He  stopped  me  with  an  intolerant  gesture.  '  Do  not 
attempt  any  palliation  of  the  past  with  me,'  he  said, 
sternly  ;  '  it  is  worse  than  useless  ;  and  do  not  think  that 
you  can  make  any  compromises  with  me  or  purchase  my 


THE    SILENT   WITNESS 

silence  with  your  ill-gotten  wealth.  That  may  have  served 
your  purpose  in  the  past  with  your  associate  and  coadjutor, 
Richard  Hobson,  the  man  who  holds  in  his  mercenary 
grasp  the  flimsy  reputation  which  is  all  that  is  left  to  you, 
or  with  the  woman — cruel  as  the  grave  and  false  as  hell — 
who  once  wrecked  my  life,  and  now,  with  the  son  that  you 
dare  not  acknowledge,  rules  your  home,  but  you  cannot 
buy  my  silence.  I  come  to  you  as  no  beggar  !  I  am  a 
richer  man  to-day  than  you,  but  for  the  sake  of  genera 
tions  past,  as  well  as  of  generations  yet  to  come,  I  will  have 
my  own.  The  estate  which  was  once  my  forefathers  shall 
be  my  son's,  and  his  sons'  after  him  !' 

"As  I  listened,  my  whole  soul  rose  against  him  in  bitter 
hatred,  the  old  hatred  of  my  youth.  '  I  defy  you,'  I  cried, 
hotly,  '  to  produce  one  atom  of  proof  in  support  of  your 
claim  or  of  your  charges  against  me  !  The  estate  is  mine, 
and  I  will  make  you  rue  the  day  that  you  dare  dispute  my 
right  and  title  to  it !' 

"His  eyes  flashed  with  scorn  as  he  replied,  'You  lie, 
Hugh  Mainwaring  !  Your  life  for  the  past  twenty-five  years 
has  been  nothing  but  a  lie,  and  the  day  just  closed  has  wit 
nessed  the  final  act  in  this  farce  of  yours.  That  I  have 
already  undone,  and  just  as  surely  I  will  undo  the  work  of 
the  past  years.  And  let  me  assure  you  I  have  no  lack  of 
proof  with  which  to  verify  either  my  own  claim  or  any 
assertion  I  have  made,  or  may  yet  make,  against  you.  I 
have  proof  that  on  the  night  preceding  my  father's  death 
he  made  a  will  restoring  to  me  my  full  rights,  which  you 
have  fraudulently  withheld  all  these  years ;  and  through  my 
son,  whom  you  have  known  for  the  past  eighteen  months  as 
your  private  secretary,  I  have  proof  that  that  will  is  still  in 
existence,  of  itself  an  irrefutable  witness  against  you  !' 

"With  the  mention  of  my  secretary  the  truth  flashed 
upon  me.  I  realized  I  was  completely  in  his  power,  and 


THAT  MAINWARING  AFFAIR 

with  a  sense  of  my  own  impotency  my  rage  and  hatred  in 
creased.  Forgetful  of  the  weapon  in  his  hand  and  almost 
blind  with  fury,  I  sprang  towards  him,  intending  to  throttle 
him — to  strangle  him — until  he  should  plead  for  mercy. 
Instantly  he  raised  the  revolver  in  warning,  but  not  before 
I  had  seized  his  wrist,  turning  the  weapon  from  myself. 
A  brief  struggle  followed,  in  which  I  soon  found  my  strength 
was  no  match  for  his.  Growing  desperate,  I  summoned  all 
my  strength  for  one  tremendous  effort,  at  the  same  time 
holding  his  wrist  in  a  vice-like  grip,  forcing  his  hand  higher 
and  turning  the  revolver  more  and  more  in  his  direction. 
Suddenly  there  was  a  flash, — a  sharp  report, — and  he  fell 
heavily  to  the  floor,  dragging  me  down  upon  him. 

' '  For  an  instant  I  was  too  much  stunned  and  bewildered 
to  realize  what  had  happened,  but  a  glance  at  my  opponent 
revealed  the  situation.  He  lay  motionless  where  he  had 
fallen,  and  a  ghastly  wound  over  the  right  eye  told  the  ter 
rible  story.  Dazed  with  horror,  I  placed  my  hand  over 
his  heart,  but  there  was  no  motion,  no  life, — he  was  dead  ! 
The  awful  truth  forced  itself  upon  me.  Mad  and  blind 
with  rage,  I  had  turned  the  weapon  upon  him  and  it  had 
discharged, — whether  by  some  sudden  movement  of  his 
hand,  or  by  the  accidental  pressure  of  my  own  fingers  upon 
the  trigger,  God  alone  knows,  I  do  not !  One  fact  I  could 
not  then,  nor  ever  can,  forget ;  it  was  my  hand  that  gave 
the  weapon  its  deadly  aim,  however  blindly  or  unwittingly, 
and  the  blood  of  my  brother  whom  I  had  wronged  and  de 
frauded  now  lay  at  my  door. 

* '  The  agony  of  remorse  that  followed  was  something 
beyond  description,  beyond  any  suffering  of  which  I  had 
ever  dreamed ;  but  suddenly  a  thought  flashed  upon  me 
which  added  new  horror,  causing  me  to  spring  to  my  feet 
cold  with  terror,  while  great  beads  of  perspiration  gathered 
on  my  brow.  When  that  terrible  scene  should  be  revealed, 

352 


THE    SILENT    WITNESS 

not  alone  in  the  approaching  morning  light,  but  in  the 
light  of  past  events  which,  if  the  last  words  spoken  by 
those  lips  now  sealed  in  death  were  true,  could  no  longer 
be  kept  secret,  what  would  be  the  world's  verdict  ?  Murder  ! 
fratricide  !  and  I  ?  Great  God  !  of  what  avail  would  be  any 
plea  of  mine  in  the  face  of  such  damning  evidence? 

"I  rushed  to  the  tower-room,  and  hastily  opening  my 
safe,  took  from  a  private  drawer  therein  a  key  and  with 
trembling  fingers  fitted  it  into  the  lock  of  a  large  metallic 
box  which  contained  the  family  jewels,  and  which  for  more 
than  twenty-five  years  had  held  the  old  will  executed  by 
my  father  on  his  death-bed.  I  had  seen  it  there  less  than 
forty-eight  hours  before,  and  in  my  desperation  I  now 
determined  to  destroy  it.  My  very  haste  and  eagerness 
delayed  me,  but  at  last  the  cover  flew  back,  revealing  the 
gleaming  jewels,  but — the  will  was  not  there  !  Unable  to 
believe  my  own  eyes,  I  drew  my  fingers  carefully  back  and 
forth  through  the  narrow  receptacle  where  it  had  lain,  and 
among  the  satin  linings  of  the  various  compartments,  but  in 
vain  ;  the  will  was  gone  !  My  brother  had  spoken  the  truth, 
and  the  will  was  doubtless  in  the  possession  of  his  son,  who, 
under  its  terms,  was  now  himself  heir  to  the  estate.  The 
room  grew  dim  and  the  walls  themselves  seemed  to  whirl 
swiftly  about  me  as,  with  great  difficulty,  I  groped  my  way 
back  to  the  library,  where  I  stood  gazing  at  that  strange 
counterpart  of  myself,  till,  under  the  growing  horror  of  the 
situation,  it  seemed  to  my  benumbered  senses  as  though  I 
were  some  disembodied  spirit  hovering  above  his  own 
corpse.  The  horrible  illusion  was  like  a  nightmare  ;  I  could 
not  throw  it  off,  and  I  would  then  and  there  have  gone 
stark,  staring  mad,  but  that  there  came  to  me  out  of  that 
awful  chaos  of  fancies  a  suggestion  which  seemed  like  an 
inspiration.  'It  is  Hugh  Mainwaring,'  I  said  to  myself, 
'  Hugh  Mainwaring  died  to-night !' 
'3  353 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

' '  My  fevered  brain  grew  cool,  my  pulse  steady,  and  my 
nerves  firm  as  I  proceeded  at  once  to  act  upon  the  idea. 
Kneeling  beside  the  dead  man,  I  examined  the  wound. 
The  bullet  had  entered  above  the  right  eye  and  passed 
downward,  coming  out  at  the  base  of  the  brain  ;  from  both 
wounds  the  blood  was  flowing  in  a  slow,  sluggish  stream. 
Drawing  a  large  handkerchief  from  my  pocket,  I  bound  it 
tightly  about  the  head  over  both  wounds,  knotting  it  firmly ; 
then  carrying  the  body  into  the  tower-room,  I  made  sure 
that  all  doors  were  locked,  and  proceeded  to  put  into  exe 
cution  the  plan  so  suddenly  formed.  By  this  time  I  was 
myself,  and,  though  the  task  before  me  was  neither  easy  nor 
pleasant  to  perform,  I  went  about  it  as  calmly  and  methodi 
cally  as  though  it  were  some  ordinary  business  transaction. 
As  expeditiously  as  possible  I  removed  the  dead  man's 
clothing  and  my  own,  which  I  then  exchanged,  dressing 
the  lifeless  form  in  the  clothes  I  had  worn  on  the  preceding 
day,  even  to  the  dressing-gown  which  I  had  put  on  upon 
retiring  to  my  apartments,  while  I  donned  his  somewhat 
travel-worn  suit  of  tweed.  Having  completed  this  grue 
some  task,  I  left  the  body  in  much  the  same  position  in 
which  it  had  originally  fallen,  lying  slightly  upon  the  right 
side,  the  right  arm  extended  on  the  floor,  and,  to  give  the 
appearance  of  suicide,  I  placed  my  own  revolver — first 
emptying  one  of  the  chambers — near  his  right  hand.  On 
going  to  my  desk  for  the  revolver,  I  discovered  the  explana 
tion  of  my  brother's  words  when  he  said  that  he  had 
already  undone  my  work  of  the  preceding  day,  the  final 
act  of  the  farce  I  had  carried  out.  In  the  terrible  excite 
ment  of  thos^  moments  his  meaning  escaped  my  mind ; 
now  it  was  clear.  My  own  will,  executed  with  such  care, 
and  which  early  in  the  evening  I  had  left  upon  my  desk, 
was  gone.  That  he  had  destroyed  it  in  his  wrath  and 
scorn  I  had  abundant  proof  a  little  later,  upon  incidentally 

354 


THE    SILENT   WITNESS 

finding  in  the  small  grate  in  that  room  the  partially  burned 
fragments  of  the  document,  which  I  left  to  tell  their  own 
tale. 

' '  Having  satisfactorily  disposed  of  Hugh  Mainwaring 
(as  the  dead  man  now  seemed  to  my  over-wrought  imagi 
nation),  I  made  preparation  for  my  immediate  departure. 
This  occupied  little  time.  There  was  fortunately  some 
cash  in  the  safe,  which  I  took ;  all  drafts  and  papers  of 
that  nature  I  left, — they  were  of  value  only  to  Hugh  Main- 
waring,  and  he  was  dead  !  As  the  cash  would  be  inade 
quate,  however,  for  my  needs,  I  decided  after  considerable 
deliberation  to  take  the  family  jewels,  though  not  without 
apprehension  that  they  might  lead  to  my  detection,  as  they 
finally  did.  These  I  put  in  a  small  box  covered  with  ordi 
nary  wrapping-paper  to  attract  as  little  attention  as  possible, 
and,  having  completed  my  preparations,  I  removed  the 
bandage  from  the  dead  man's  head  and  threw  it  with  the 
private  keys  to  my  library  into  the  metallic  box  which  had 
held  the  jewels.  Then  donning  the  black  wig  and  mus 
tache  which  my  visitor  had  thrown  aside  on  disclosing  his 
identity,  together  with  a  long  ulster  which  he  had  left  in 
the  tower-room,  I  took  one  farewell  look  at  the  familiar 
apartments  and  their  silent  occupant  and  stole  noiselessly 
out  into  the  night.  I  remained  on  the  premises  only  long 
enough  to  visit  the  small  lake  in  the  rear  of  the  house,  into 
which  I  threw  the  metallic  box  and  its  contents,  then,  fol 
lowing  the  walk  through  the  grove  to  the  side  street,  I  left 
Fair  Oaks,  as  I  well  knew,  forever.  While  yet  on  the 
grounds  I  met  my  own  coachman,  but  he  failed  to  recog 
nize  me  in  my  disguise.  My  plans  were  already  formed. 
I  had  come  to  the  conclusion  that  my  late  visitor  and  the 
caller  of  the  preceding  afternoon,  whose  card  bore  the 
name  of  J.  Henry  Carruthers,  were  one  and  the  same.  My 
secretary  had  stated  that  Carruthers  had  come  out  from  the 

355 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

city  that  day,  so  my  appearance  at  the  depot,  dressed  in  his 
own  disguise,  would  probably  attract  no  attention.  I  was 
fortunate  enough  to  reach  the  depot  just  as  two  trains  were 
about  to  pull  out ;  the  suburban  train  which  would  leave  in 
three  minutes  for  the  city,  and  the  north-bound  express, 
due  to  leave  five  minutes  later.  I  bought  a  ticket  for  New 
York,  then  passing  around  the  rear  of  the  suburban  train, 
quietly  boarded  the  express,  and  before  the  discovery  of 
that  night's  fearful  tragedy  I  was  speeding  towards  the  great 
West. 

' '  But  go  where  I  might,  from  that  hour  to  this,  I  have 
never  been  free  from  agonizing  remorse,  nor  have  I  been 
able  for  one  moment  to  banish  from  my  memory  the  sight 
of  that  face, — the  face  of  my  brother,  killed  by  my  own 
hand,  and  a  discovery  which  I  made  within  the  first  few 
hours  of  my  flight  made  my  remorse  ten  times  deeper.  In 
going  through  the  pockets  of  the  suit  I  wore  I  found  a  letter 
from  my  brother,  addressed  to  his  son,  written  in  my  own 
library  and  at  my  own  desk  while  he  awaited  my  coming. 
He  seemed  to  have  had  a  sort  of  presentiment  that  his  inter 
view  with  me  might  end  in  some  such  tragedy  as  it  did,  and 
took  that  opportunity  to  inform  his  son  regarding  both  his 
past  work  and  his  plans  for  the  future.  What  was  my 
astonishment  to  find  that  his  son  was,  at  that  time,  as 
totally  unaware  of  his  father's  existence  as  was  I  a  few 
hours  before  of  the  existence  of  a  brother  ! 

"From  this  letter  I  learned  that  the  son  had  been  given 
away  at  birth,  and  was  to  know  nothing  of  his  true  parentage 
until  he  had  reached  years  of  maturity ;  that  he  himself 
had  been  shipwrecked,  as  reported  years  ago,  but  had  es 
caped  in  some  miraculous  manner ;  that  reaching  Africa  at 
last,  he  disclosed  his  identity  to  no  one,  but  devoted  all  his 
energies  to  acquiring  a  fortune  for  his  son.  He  succeeded 
even  beyond  his  anticipations,  and  when  nearly  twenty 

356 


THE   SILENT  WITNESS 

years  had  elapsed,  sailed  for  his  old  Australian  home,  to 
find  his  son.  Arriving  there,  he  learned  that  his  son,  while 
pursuing  his  studies  in  England,  had  obtained  information 
of  the  will  made  in  his  father's  favor,  and  learning  facts 
which  led  him  to  believe  that  the  will  was  still  in  existence 
and  in  the  possession  of  his  father's  younger  brother,  had, 
with  the  advice  of  his  London  attorneys,  gone  to  America, 
and  was  then  in  his  uncle's  employ  for  the  purpose  of 
securing  proof  regarding  the  will,  and,  if  possible,  posses 
sion  of  the  will  itself.  Upon  learning  these  facts,  my 
brother  had  immediately  proceeded  to  London  and  to 
Barton  &  Barton,  his  son's  attorneys,  who,  upon  his  arrival 
there,  informed  him  of  his  son's  success  up  to  that  time, 
and  also  notified  him  that  his  brother  was  about  to  cele 
brate  his  approaching  fiftieth  birthday  by  naming  the  son 
of  Ralph  Mainwaring  as  his  heir,  Ralph  Mainwaring  and 
family  having  just  sailed  to  America  for  that  purpose.  My 
brother  then  took  the  first  steamer  for  America,  arriving 
only  two  days  later  than  Ralph  Mainwaring.  Though 
unable  to  obtain  an  interview  with  me  at  once,  as  he  had 
intended,  he  had  succeeded  in  catching  sight  of  me,  in  order 
to  assure  himself  that  the  marked  resemblance  between  us 
still  existed,  and,  to  emphasize  that  resemblance,  he  then 
shaved  and  had  his  hair  cut  in  the  same  style  in  which  I 
wore  mine,  so  as  to  render  the  likeness  the  more  striking 
and  indisputable  when  he  should  announce  himself  to  me. 
' '  His  existence  and  return  he  wished  kept  secret  from 
his  son  until  the  successful  consummation  of  his  plans,  but 
he  wrote  the  letter  as  an  explanation  in  case  there  should 
be  any  unforeseen  termination.  The  letter  was  overflowing 
with  a  father's  love  and  pride ;  his  allusion  to  the  difficulty 
with  which  he  had  restrained  his  feelings  when  he  found 
himself  face  to  face  with  his  son  on  the  afternoon  of  his 
call,  being  especially  touching.  The  perusal  of  that  letter 

357 


THAT    MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

added  a  hundred-fold  to  my  own  grief  and  remorse.  I 
dared  not  run  the  risk  of  disclosing  myself  by  sending  it  to 
my  brother's  son,  but  I  have  preserved  it  carefully  for  him, 
and  desire  it  to  be  given  him  as  quickly  as  possible. 

"  Through  New  York  papers  I  learned  from  time  to  time 
of  the  murder  of  Hugh  Mainwaring,  the  lost  will,  the  dis 
covery  of  the  old  will,  and  the  appearance  of  the  rightful 
heir.  From  that  source,  also,  I  learned  that  Merrick,  the 
detective,  was  shadowing  the  murderer,  who  was  generally 
supposed  to  be  a  man  by  the  name  of  Carruthers.  I  had 
one  advantage  of  Merrick.  I  knew  him — my  old  friend 
Whitney  having  often  pointed  him  out  to  me — while  he  did 
not  know  the  man  he  sought.  Many  a  time  in  my  wander 
ings  I  have  seen  him,  and,  knowing  well  the  game  he  was 
after,  eluded  him,  only  to  fall  at  last  into  the  snare  of  one 
whom  I  did  not  know.  The  man  searching  for  the  mur 
derer  of  Hugh  Mainwaring  encountered  another,  trailing 
the  murderer  of  Harold  Scott  Mainwaring,  and  I  suddenly 
found  my  time  had  come  !  A  coward  then,  as  always,  I 
tried  to  shoot  myself.  In  the  darkness  I  held  the  muzzle 
of  my  brother's  revolver  to  my  own  temple  ;  instantly  there 
flashed  before  me  his  face  when  I  had  killed  him  !  I  grew 
sick,  my  hand  trembled  and  dropped ;  then,  as  my  pur 
suers  came  nearer,  I  aimed  for  my  heart  and  fired  !  This 
is  the  result.  Death  was  not  instantaneous,  as  I  had  hoped  ; 
instead,  I  was  given  this  opportunity  to  make  some  slight 
reparation  for  my  sin ;  to  aid,  as  I  said  before,  in  righting 
the  wrong  wrought  by  my  past  life. 

"And  now,  in  these  my  last  moments,  I  do  solemnly 
affirm  and  aver  that  on  the  night  preceding  his  death,  my 
father  executed  a  will  restoring  to  my  elder  brother  his  full 
right  and  title,  which  will  I  have  for  more  than  twenty-five 
years  last  past  wrongfully  and  fraudulently  withheld  and 
concealed  ;  and  that  my  brother  being  now  dead,  killed  by 

358 


THE   SILENT   WITNESS 

my  own  hand,  though  unwittingly  and  unintentionally,  his 
son,  Harold  Scott  Mainwaring,  is  the  rightful  and  sole  heir 
to  the  entire  Mainwaring  estate. 

"Signed  by  Hugh  Mainwaring  in  the  presence  of  the 
following  witnesses :  William  J.  Barton,  M.  D.  Montague, 
Joseph  P.  Sturgiss,  M.D.,  M.  J.  Wheating,  M.D.,  Daniel 
McCabeand  C.  D.  Merrick." 

At  the  conclusion  of  this  statement,  there  was  shown  in 
evidence  the  rusty  metallic  box — dragged  from  the  lake — 
with  the  keys  and  the  knotted,  blood-stained  handkerchief 
found  therein.  This  was  followed  by  brief  testimony  by 
Harold  Scott  Mainwaring  and  the  old  servant,  James  Wil 
son,  but  the  proceedings  following  the  reading  of  the  state 
ment  were  little  more  than  mere  form.  There  was  little 
attempt  at  cross-examination,  and  when  the  time  came  for  the 
argument  by  counsel  for  contestant,  Mr.  Whitney,  who  had 
been  deeply  affected  by  the  confession  of  his  old  friend, 
declined  to  speak. 

All  eyes  were  fastened  upon  Mr.  Sutherland  as  he  arose, 
as  was  supposed,  for  the  closing  argument.  For  a  moment 
his  eyes  scanned  the  faces  of  the  jurors,  man  by  man,  then 
addressing  the  judge,  he  said  slowly,  in  clear,  resonant 
tones, — 

"Your  honor,  I  submit  the  case  without  argument." 

In  less  than  forty-five  minutes  from  the  conclusion  of  the 
statement  the  jury  retired,  but  no  one  moved  from  his  place 
in  the  crowded  court-room,  for  all  felt  that  little  time  would 
be  required  for  their  decision.  In  ten  minutes  they  re 
turned,  and,  amid  the  silence  that  followed,  the  foreman 
announced  the  verdict,  ' '  for  the  proponent,  Harold  Scott 
Mainwaring." 

Cheers  burst  forth  from  all  parts  of  the  room,  and  the 
walls  rang  with  applause,  which  was  only  checked  by  a  sud 
den,  simultaneous  movement  of  several  men  towards  the 

359 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

contestant.  With  the  announcement  of  the  verdict,  Ralph 
Mainwaring  had  risen  to  his  feet,  as  though  in  protest.  For 
an  instant  he  stood  gasping  helplessly,  but  unable  to  utter  a 
word  ;  then,  with  a  loud  groan,  he  sank  backward  and 
would  have  fallen  to  the  floor  but  for  his  attorneys,  who  had 
rushed  to  the  assistance  of  the  stricken  man. 

A  few  moments  later  the  lifeless  remains  of  Hugh  Main- 
waring  were  carried  from  the  court-room,  while,  in  another 
direction,  the  unconscious  form  of  Ralph  Mainwaring  was 
borne  by  tender,  pitying  hands,  among  them  those  of  the 
victor  himself,  and  the  contest  of  Mainwaring  versus  Main- 
waring  was  ended. 

The  bright  sunlight  of  a  December  afternoon,  ten  days 
after  the  close  of  the  trial,  crowned  with  a  shining  halo 
the  heads  of  Harold  Scott  Mainwaring  and  his  wife  as  they 
stood  together  in  the  tower-room  at  Fair  Oaks.  But  a  few 
hours  had  elapsed  since  they  had  repeated  the  words  of  the 
beautiful  marriage  service  which  had  made  them  husband 
and  wife.  Their  wedding  had  been,  of  necessity,  a  quiet 
one,  only  their  own  party  and  a  few  of  their  American 
friends  being  present,  for  the  ocean-liner,  then  lying  in  the 
harbor,  but  which  in  a  few  hours  was  to  bear  them  home 
ward,  would  carry  also  the  bodies  of  the  Mainwaring 
brothers  and  of  Ralph  Mainwaring  to  their  last  resting 
place. 

Here,  amid  the  very  surroundings  where  it  was  written, 
Harold  Mainwaring  had  just  read  to  his  wife  his  father's 
letter,  penned  a  few  hours  before  his  death.  For  a  few 
moments  neither  spoke,  then  Winifred  said  brokenly, 
through  fast  falling  tears, — 

"  How  he  loved  you,  Harold  !" 

"Yes,"  he  replied,  sadly;  "and  what  would  I  not  give 
for  one  hour  in  which  to  assure  him  of  my  love  !  I  would 

360 


THE   SILENT   WITNESS 

gladly  have  endured  any  suffering  for  his  sake,  but  in  the 
few  moments  that  we  stood  face  to  face  we  met  as  stran 
gers,  and  I  have  had  no  opportunity  to  show  him  my 
appreciation  of  his  love  or  my  love  for  him  in  return." 

"  Don't  think  he  does  not  know  it,"  she  said,  earnestly. 
"  I  believe  that  he  now  knows  your  love  for  him  far  more 
perfectly  than  you  know  his." 

He  kissed  her  tenderly,  then  drawing  from  his  pocket  a 
memorandum-book,  took  therefrom  a  piece  of  blotter  having 
upon  it  the  impress  of  some  writing.  Placing  it  upon  the 
desk  beside  the  letter,  he  held  a  small  mirror  against  it, 
and  Winifred,  looking  in  the  mirror,  read, 
"Your  affectionate  father, 

"HAROLD  SCOTT  MAINWARING." 

Then  glancing  at  the  signature  to  the  letter,  she  saw  they 
were  identical.  In  answer  to  her  look  of  inquiry,  Harold 
said, — • 

"  I  discovered  that  impress  on  the  blotter  on  this  desk 
one  morning  about  ten  days  after  the  tragedy,  and  at  once 
recognized  it  as  my  father's  writing.  In  a  flash  I  under 
stood  the  situation ;  my  father  himself  had  returned,  had 
been  in  these  rooms,  and  had  had  an  interview  with  his 
brother !  I  knew  of  the  marked  resemblance  between 
them,  and  at  once  questioned,  How  had  that  interview 
ended  ?  Who  was  the  murdered  man  ?  Who  was  the  mur 
derer  ?  That  was  the  cause  of  my  trip  to  England  to  try 
to  find  some  light  on  this  subject.  I  need  no  words  to  tell 
you  the  agony  of  suspense  that  I  endured  for  the  next  few 
weeks,  and  you  will  understand  now  why  I  would  not — even 
to  yourself — declare  my  innocence  of  the  murder  of  Hugh 
Mainwaring.  I  would  have  borne  any  ignominy  and  dis 
honor,  even  death  itself,  rather  than  that  a  breath  of  suspi 
cion  should  have  been  directed  against  my  father's  name." 

361 


THAT   MAINWARING    AFFAIR 

"  My  hero  !"  she  exclaimed,  smiling  through  her  tears  ; 
then  asked,  "  When  and  how  did  you  learn  the  real  facts?" 

"Almost  immediately  upon  my  return  to  this  country, 
and  from  Mrs.  LaGrange, "  and  he  told  her  briefly  of  his 
last  interview  with  that  unhappy  woman.  "Up  to  the  day 
of  the  funeral,  she  was  ignorant  of  the  truth,  but  on  that 
day  she  detected  the  difference,  which  none  of  the  others 
saw.  She  knew  and  recognized  my  father. ' ' 

Standing  at  last  on  the  western  veranda,  they  took  their 
farewell  of  Fair  Oaks. 

"  Beautiful  Fair  Oaks  !"  Winifred  murmured  ;  "  once  I 
loved  you ;  but  you  could  never  be  our  home ;  you  hold 
memories  far  too  bitter  ! ' ' 

"Yes,"  Harold  replied,  gravely,  "it  is  darkened  by 
crime  and  stained  with  innocent  blood.  The  only  bright 
feature  to  redeem  it,"  he  added  with  a  smile,  "is  the 
memory  of  the  love  I  found  there,  but  that, ' '  and  he  drew 
her  arm  closely  within  his  own,  "  I  take  with  me  to  Eng 
land,  to  my  father's  home  and  mine." 

Together  they  left  the  majestic  arched  portals,  and  going 
down  the  oak-lined  avenue,  through  the  dim  twilight  of  the 
great  boughs  interlocked  above  their  heads,  passed  on,  out 
into  the  sunlight,  with  never  a  fear  for  shadows  that  might 
come ;  each  strong  and  confident  in  the  love  that  united 
them  "for  better  for  worse,  for  richer  for  poorer,  in  sick 
ness  and  in  health,  .  .  .  till  death  us  do  part. ' ' 


FINIS. 


362 


WHEN  BLADES  ARE  OUT  AND 
LOVE'S  AFIELD 

By  CYRUS  TOWNSEND   BRADY, 

Author  of  "  The  Freedom  of  the  Sea,"  etc. 

With  eight  full-page  illustrations  by  E.  Plaisted  Abbott  and 

many  decorations  by  Edward  Stratton  Holloway. 

I2mo.     Ornamental  binding,  $1.50. 


"This  new  novel  should  outstrip  all  Mr.  Brady's  preceding  works 
in  popularity,  for  while  retaining  the  strength  and  virility  of  his  earlier 
books,  it  much  surpasses  them  in  heart  interest  and  charm." — Ar 
gonaut,  San  Francisco. 

"  The  action  of  the  story  is  spirited,  the  love  interest  is  strong,  and 
bits  of  revolutionary  history  are  cleverly  set  into  the  background. 
The  description  of  the  stockade  in  which  the  interests  of  love  and 
war  stand  on  an  equal  basis  is  one  of  the  best  things  in  the  book.  It 
is  a  climax  to  be  proud  of." — Boston  Herald. 

"It  will  fill  a  reading  hour  with  delight  for  almost  any  lover  of  a 
good  novel,  and  it  is  a  perfect  gem  of  a  volume  in  binding  and  illus 
tration — one  of  the  daintiest  and  prettiest  that  ever  came  to  The 

World's  table."—  World,  New  York. 

"The  author's  soldiers  are  real  soldiers,  his  girls  real  women." — 
Boston  Journal. 

"Thousands  and  tens  of  thousands  of  copies  of  it  'go.'  There  is 
little  doubt  that  this  is  another  successful  book  of  the  sort." — 
Mail  and  Express,  New  York. 

"  A  romance  of  love  and  war,  with  two  delightful  heroines  who 
are  certain  to  hold  feminine  interest." — Press,  Philadelphia. 

"  Mr.  Brady  has  most  happily  carried  into  execution  the  plot  of  his 
story.  His  figures  move  and  live,  his  battle-scenes  are  vigorous  and 
his  love-making  sweet  and  tender.  The  action  of  the  story  is  rapid, 
and  the  reader's  interest  is  held  from  start  to  finish.  The  beautiful 
illustrations  are  the  work  of  E.  Plaisted  Abbott,  and  the  elaborate 
head  and  tail  pieces  are  by  Edward  Stratton  Holloway."  —  Times, 
Richmond. 

J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY,  PHILADELPHIA 


By   MAURICE    THOMPSON 

Author  of  "Alice  of  Old  Vincennes." 

SWEETHEART    MANETTE. 

With    a    Frontispiece    by    Emlen    McConnell.      Ornamental. 
I2mo.     $1.25. 


Manette,  sprightly,  naive,  childish  one  moment,  a  wise  little  woman 
the  next,  will  win  many  hearts  besides  those  of  the  men  of  the 
yachting  party  in  old  Bay  St.  Louis,  near  New  Orleans.  Mr. 
Thompson's  book  is  charming  in  matter  and  manner.  The  love  story 
is  fresh  and  touched  by  playful  fancy  and  philosophy. 

"The  many  more  than  one  hundred  thousand  readers  of  Mr. 
Thompson's  recent  popular  novel  should  welcome  with  enthusiasm 
'  Sweetheart  Manette,'  redolent  of  romance,  charmingly  told,  and 
brimful  of  interest  from  its  first  page  to  its  last." — Argonaut,  San 
Francisco. 

"  In  recommending  a  book  for  interest  and  literary  merit,  one  can 
not  mention  any  at  this  time  of  publication  surpassing  '  Sweetheart 
Manette.'  It  is  to  be  accounted  one  of  the  best  of  Maurice  Thomp 
son's  excellent  works."  —  Courier,  Boston. 

"  The  story  is  told  with  quiet,  simple  charm,  gathering  much  of  its 
interest  from  the  sparkling  conversations  between  the  various  char 
acters." — Herald,  Boston. 

"  The  story  tells  a  sweet,  simple  tale  of  love  among  the  bayous  of 
Louisiana,  and  abounds  with  clever  dialogue  and  fine  descriptions  of 
Southern  scenery,  which  the  author  knew  and  loved  so  well." — North 
American,  Philadelphia. 

' '  The  story  is  so  well  told  that  the  reader  is  kept  in  doubt  as  to  the 
direction  in  which  the  heroine's  affections  lie.  The  conversation  has 
much  real  interest,  and  the  description  of  Bay  St.  Louis,  a  '  secluded 
and  dreary  nook  on  the  Gulf  coast  of  Mississippi,  fifty  miles  east  of 
New  Orleans,'  are  admirable.  Altogether,  Mr.  Thompson,  in 
'  Sweetheart  Manette,'  has  given  us  a  tale  which,  while  simple,  has 
the  qualities  that  make  it  most  pleasing  in  its  appeal."  —  The  News, 
Baltimore. 

J.  B.  LIPPINCOTT  COMPANY,  PHILADELPHIA 


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